At least 1 dead, hundreds of rescue workers after flooding in southeast Texas

The body of a 4-year-old boy was found Sunday after flash floods hit a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. Around 2 a.m., someone called Johnson County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers to report that a family of three was stuck in a car in floodwaters in Burleson, about 15 miles north of Fort Worth, local news outlet WFAA reported.

The boy and his parents got out of the car to find safe ground, but the 911 caller said they were swept into the floodwaters.

According to the Johnson County Office of Emergency Management, rescuers found Aaron and Chelsey Warren later that morning and took them to the hospital. The body of Lucas Warren, who would have turned five this month, was found several hours later.

Aaron Warren’s brother created a GoFundMe on behalf of the Warrens, saying: “The accident destroyed their only car, ruined their phones and wiped out their wallets. They are in extreme need and anything you can contribute will be used to pay for Lucas’ funeral and help rebuild her life. This is the hardest thing anyone in my family has ever been through.”

Severe storms dumped torrential rain and caused flooding in cities across southeast Texas, from College Station to Houston. Hundreds of water rescues occurred in southeast Texas over the weekend after days of continuous rain. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo told CNN that 153 pets were also rescued during the flooding.

Various videos posted on social media show people unintentionally driving into deep floodwaters and, in some cases, being swept away. Drone footage from Livingston, Texas, 70 miles northeast of Houston, showed cars, homes and roads underwater.

The Red Cross is on the ground in southeast Texas, spokeswoman Stephanie Fox told AccuWeather, providing shelter for those in need of safe, dry housing.

AccuWeather flood expert Alex Sosnowski put the severe flooding into historical context: “Flooding in parts of Southeast Texas is among the most severe since Hurricane Harvey struck the region in 2017. This time they are focused on a smaller area and a little further north compared to Harvey’s days of tropical rains that fell over 60 inches in some places.

At least one course broke a record set more than a century ago. According to NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service, the Navasota River level near Easterly, Texas, reached a new record high of 30.62 feet Thursday evening, surpassing the previous record of 29 feet set on June 1, 1899.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said that while many dangers remain, the water is slowly receding for now. However, AccuWeather meteorologists are urging residents not to let their guard down. When adverse weather conditions continue for days, people may experience weather fatigue. However, it is important to take every report seriously. Make sure you have multiple ways to receive notifications and alerts, keep a close eye on conditions in your area, and have a plan for where to go if floodwaters begin to rise.

AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said there was good news for flood-hit Texas as concentrated thunderstorms would remain to the north. “However, there are two time frames of concern for locally heavy rain,” he said. “The first will be on Thursday as the cold begins to ease southwards. The second will take place late this weekend into early next week as a stronger front arrives from the northwest.”