Houston is a city underwater. Cars and trucks stranded on roads-turned-rivers. What remains of Tropical Storm Beta is hugging the coast and is expected to lash southeast Texas. Flood advisories are posted along a 500-mile stretch of the Gulf Coast from near Corpus Christi, Texas, all the way to New Orleans.
This storm is barely moving; it’s been raining non-stop since late Monday. And Houston — which floods even during a moderate rain — cannot absorb all this water.
Bayous are overflowing their banks as some areas are inundated by more than a foot of relentless rain.
Many were caught off guard, including one man who had to ditch his car just in time. Others had ignored the warnings.
More than 100 high-water rescues have taken place in Houston as the now-tropical depression barely budges.
“Let’s hope and pray that this system will start moving at a quicker pace to the east and will get out of here,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said.
Five storms have already hit the Gulf this year. Some homes are still without power almost a month later. There is more rain in Tuesday night’s forecast, giving no relief for a storm-weary region.
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