Tropical Storm Harvey continued to pummel Houston in Southeastern Texas on Sunday, forcing many residents to flee their homes. But officials are warning them not to head into closed spaces.
In a tweet early Sunday morning, Police Chief Art Acevedo urged people to seek higher ground in open areas, not closed.
“Have reports of people getting into attic to escape floodwater do not do so unless you have an ax or means to break through onto your roof” he tweeted on Aug. 27.
The tweet has been retweeted over 3,398 times as residents spread the message throughout the community.
Jeff Lindner from the Harris County Flood Control District told WTSP that there is “extraordinarily dangerous flooding” in southeast Houston.
“We are getting calls from people climbing into their attic. This is along I-45 between downtown and Clear Lake,” Lindner told the CBS affiliate.
“This is along Berry Bayou, Beamer Ditch, Turkey Creek, portions of Clear Creek, Vince Bayou, Little Vince Bayou in Pasadena. Pretty much the entire southeast side of Harris County has had 13 to 15 inches of rain in three hours,” he said.
Emergency officials warn residents to not go into their attics, but instead, go to the roof of their house, where there is less chance to get trapped.
“Virtually every watershed in this county, minus the extreme east side, is facing very significant flooding right now,” Lindner told WTSP.
The chief called the rainfall totals “staggering.”
He also said that they are seeing flooding along the sections of Hunting Bayou, downtown along Buffalo Bayou, Brays Bayou and Keegan’s Bayou in Texas.
From NTD.tv
