Hundreds of people were rescued from homes, rooftops and washed away roads as parts of Texas were flooded early Sunday after heavy rains.
Water washed away roads in rural Johnson County south of Fort Worth. A child died in the flood.
A Sunday morning social media post from the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency said he was 5 years old. Late Sunday, the Tarrant County Coroner's website identified him as 4-year-old Lucas Warren of Burleson.
Witnesses told authorities they saw two adults and a child get out of a car to get to dry land after it was swept off County Road 528 just before 2 a.m. , the county's Office of Emergency Management posted on Facebook.
At one point, rescue workers also became trapped in high water, the post said.
Paramedics rescued the man and woman around 5 a.m., and they were taken to hospital. More than two hours later, at 7:20 a.m., the boy's body was found in the water.
“Please keep this family in your prayers,” the police department said.
In a GoFundMe post, a person who identified himself as Lucas' father's brother said the 4-year-old's death was “the hardest thing” the family had ever experienced.
“My only car was destroyed in the accident, my cell phone was destroyed, and my wallet was washed away,” the post read. “They are in great need, so anything you can donate will go towards paying for Lucas’ funeral and helping them rebuild their lives.”
In Dallas, both the Trinity River and White Rock Creek near downtown flooded Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. Walnut Creek in Mansfield also flooded.
Precipitation totals varied widely across the region. Dallas Love Field reported 3.5 inches of rain in the 24 hours ending at 7 a.m. Sunday. During the same period, DFW International Airport reported 1.15 inches.
Heavy rains in Tarrant County interrupted repairs to two major drainage pipes, causing sewage to leak into a nearby river.
On Saturday morning, crews discovered a 78-inch drainage pipe leaking into a creek that flows into the Trinity River. Attempts to repair the pipe in the 7900 block of Trinity Boulevard failed due to pressure and flow, the Fort Worth Water Department said in a news release. Overnight rain then washed away a dam built to contain the overtopping. Once water levels recede, workers will rebuild the dam and pump out the wastewater, the department said.
Late Friday, erosion of the creek bank exposed part of a 33-inch sewer pipe. The storm delayed repairs and water began leaking into Little Fossil Creek from a pipe near 5301 E. Belknap St. in Haltom on Saturday. Crews worked Sunday to repair the leak.
City officials estimate each leak releases about 30 gallons of sewage per minute. Drinking water is not affected, but contact with water and soil in the area should be avoided.
Crews rescued more than 400 people and 100 pets as the worst flash flooding hit the Houston area in days. Harris County's top elected official, Lina Hidalgo, said Houston authorities had not reported any deaths or injuries.
Wide areas from Houston to rural East Texas are under water, and game wardens are using airboats this weekend to ply through waist-high water to rescue people and pets who couldn't evacuate in time. . One crew member picked up his family and three dogs as water rose around the car and home.
“It's going to keep going up like this,” said Miguel Flores Jr. of the Kingwood neighborhood in northeast Houston. “We don't know beyond that. We're just preparing for the worst.”
Weather Service meteorologist Matt Bishop said the rain had largely subsided in North Texas on Sunday, but there was a small chance of a sudden storm in the afternoon. The flood watch ended at 1pm Sunday.
Bishop said much of the high water in the area had already begun to recede by late Sunday morning. Despite the water receding, authorities warned people to be careful.
“Flooding is likely to remain,” said Juan Hernandez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Don't drive into high water. It's impossible to know how deep it is.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
