Cooler but still well above normal this week

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Submerged subdivisions, impassable roads, overflowing creeks: For the second day in a row, Houston has been struggling to cope with disastrous flooding.


Nearly 18 inches of rain has fallen on parts of Houston and surrounding areas in the past two days, according to the 

. The resulting floodwaters have reportedly led to the deaths of five people.
The city's schools and city buildings, as well as many private-sector offices, are closed because of perilous road conditions. And the 

 more rain — and more flooding — is on the way.


"Without a gap to dry out between Monday's 17 inches in rainfall and upcoming showers, the lighter storms still run a risk of localized flooding," Ed Mayberry of Houston Public Media reports. "Scores of subdivisions flooded, and power was knocked out to thousands of residents who were urged to shelter in place in this nearly sea-level city."

Other residents couldn't safely stay in their flooded homes; at least five shelters have been set up across the city. The Associated Press reports that more than 1,000 people were taken from apartments in the northern part of Houston and moved to a shopping mall; they're being ferried by buses to shelters, the wire service says.


Major interstates are submerged, including I-10, the AP writes. Mayberry also notes that a retaining wall near Highway 290 has collapsed. And flights through Houston 

As early as Monday morning, the National Weather Service was already calling the rain event "historic": More than a foot of rain fell in 12 hours.

, some areas of the city had seen more rain than ever before. Meteorologist Jeff Lindner told the Houston Press that one region didn't just hit the "500-year" mark for water levels — it beat it, by 2 inches.
The 


There have been more than 1,200 high-water rescues, the 

The National Weather Service is reminding people not to attempt to drive through floodwaters, which often are much deeper than they appear.

The images on television and social media are dramatic.

On live TV, audiences watched as a man drove into deep floodwaters and yelled out from his window, apparently confused, "What do I do?" A flabbergasted TV reporter shouted that the man needed to leave the car and then waded in to help him out.

Photos and videos on Twitter showed rescuers working to help horses trapped in floodwaters.

 photographer captured a man saving an armadillo from high waters. (A second photo showed the armadillo standing, apparently unharmed by the ordeal.)



Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called the weather system "stubborn," the AP reports. He expressed special sympathy for those whose homes flooded 

.
"I regret anyone whose home is flooded again," Turner said, according to the wire service. "There's nothing I can say that's going to ease your frustration. We certainly can't control the weather."  Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Disasters

Weather and Climate News

Nearly 18 inches of rain has fallen on parts of the Houston area in two days. In the state's biggest city, schools are closed and subdivisions have flooded. More rain is predicted for Tuesday.

Houston floods continue; At least 5 people reported dead

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