If there’s not a nearby hill to climb,look for a building or even a tree. Once out of your vehicle, Guerrero says it’s time to seek higher ground. You can break out if it has to come to that,” he says. That’s why he, like many who grew up with flooding, keeps a safety hammer in his car in case he gets stuck in rising waters. He says that floodwaters can make it difficult to open car doors or windows. “You might be surrounded by a bunch of water,” Guerrero says, especially with more intense rain dumping record amounts of water in record time. How to prepare in case you do get trapped in waterĮven the father of “Turn Around Don’t Drown” understands that sometimes you can’t turn back. She says these are the types of investments other cities may consider if serious flooding becomes a problem. “We have sensors down in the underpass that, when there’s water on the roadway … it literally turns to a flashing red light to stop traffic,” Haddock says. The city of Houston is currently updating those with a system of traffic signals that activate during heavy rains. Texas also uses railroad crossing arms that can be lowered when floodwaters rise on roads. “It’s a fantastic tool for the public,” says Carol Haddock, director of Houston Public Works. And local governments around Texas maintain online maps showing where low water crossings are closed. TV stations sometimes use the images to warn people where not to drive. He says it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with low water crossings, creeks and dips in the road along your daily commute, because those places “could become a problem in a heavy rain event.”Ī few years ago, Austin installed cameras at flood-prone intersections that connect to an app that drivers can check before heading out. Guerrero thinks it’s helped to remind people that even a little water on the road can turn deadly fast. He grew up in Central Texas, a part of the state known as “Flash Flood Alley.” About 20 years ago, when he was a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, he helped coin the phrase that’s since spread all over the country: “ Turn Around Don’t Drown.” The best way not to get caught on a flooded road, of course, is to avoid it, says Hector Guerrero. High- and low-tech ways can keep people away from flooded roads Here is their guidance on staying safe for people and communities facing a future with more flash floods: So we reached out to a group of experts from the flood-prone state of Texas. As the deadly floods in the Northeast after Hurricane Ida showed, some places are less prepared than others. That risk is increasing with climate change since hotter air can hold more moisture. It also has online maps of flooded areas, which TV newscasts sometimes show.įlooding kills more Americans than nearly any other weather hazard, and over half of flood deaths happen on roads. on Interstate 69 Southwest near Montrose Boulevard, the agency said.Eddie Gaspar / KUT The city of Austin, Texas, has installed cameras that let residents see rising floodwaters at key intersections. There were multiple crashes on roadways across Houston, according to Houston TranStar, including a semi-truck blocking multiple lanes on Interstate 10 Eastbound near McCarty Street.Īn incident involving a heavy truck happened around 3:15 p.m. Driver should turn around on flooded roads. Nickel-sized hail, 60 mph winds and heavy rain were expected to impact included Pearland, League City, Friendswood, Santa Fe, Greater Hobby area, Clear Lake and more.ĭuring storms, people should move to the interior room on the lowest floor of a building for protection, the weather service said. The weather service warned that residents can expect damage to roofs, siding and trees. Small creeks, streams, urban areas, highways, underpasses and other low-lying areas may flood in Jersey Village, Hunters Creek Village, Piney Point Village, Spring Branch, Fairbanks, Greater Inwood and Memorial, among other neighborhoods.Įarlier, the weather service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Harris, Galveston and Brazoria counties that expired at 2:30 p.m.
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