CHANNELVIEW, Texas – After four days of nonstop rain and flooding, there is finally an end in sight. Water from the Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers is slowly receding.
On Sunday, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit said the water is steadily lowering. However, they’re still out working to check on those who have been sheltering in place after being surrounded by water following mandatory evacuation orders.
Today @HCSOTexas is taking @KPRC2 out into flood waters in Channelview.
— Gage Goulding - KPRC 2 (@GageGoulding) May 5, 2024
The good news is- water is receding
The bad news - there are still many hazards. @SheriffEd_HCSO pic.twitter.com/IjLWgaSOkL
“It’s come down a lot,” said Lt. David Jasper with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “Yesterday, these cars were all underwater.”
Lt. Jasper loaded up our KPRC 2 News crew to survey the damage just off of the East Freeway (I-10) near Monmouth Street.
While the water is slowly and surely going down, it’s still too deep for any vehicle to get out to the neighborhood.
“We were out here earlier and I felt a little bump,” said Lt. Japer. “We’d gone over the top of a fence.”
Sunday marked a turning point in their mission. While still out looking for those who need help and surveying damage, this is the first day they haven’t made a water rescue.
“We personally did close to 100 water evacuations,” Lt. Jasper said. “We did a little bit of proactive stuff, but we really didn’t have any water rescues today.”
Relief.
For the first time in what feels like forever, there’s an end in sight.
After 93 hours in effect, the Flood Watch has finally expired.
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) May 6, 2024
However, moderate to major river flooding will remain a concern through the next several days to over a week. Please do not drive around any remaining barricades or enter into any flood waters.#HOUwx #TXwx
Water levels lowering.
The aerial Flood Watch canceled after 93 hours, the longest since Hurricane Harvey.
No major rescue operations.
However, we can’t forget the dangers that still lurk in the water, including wildlife like alligators and snakes.
“And not to mention this water is contaminated. There’s biohazards, petroleum. I wouldn’t get in if I didn’t have to.”
While the focus now turns to cleanup in the countless neighborhoods flooded along the Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers, this flood also proved to be valuable to emergency responders. Just weeks away from the start of hurricane season, this is an opportunity to gear up for the chance our region is in the crosshairs of a major tropical system.
“Absolutely yes. Because you can go to training. You can go to planning meetings. But you really learn when you deploy and you’re working with multiple agencies,” Lt. Jasper said.
The official start of hurricane season is on June 1, 2024.