Four Lives Lost Due to Severe Flooding in South Texas and Mexico

 

Four Lives Lost Due to Severe Flooding in South Texas and Mexico

Four Lives Lost Due to Severe Flooding in South Texas and Mexico

A catastrophic deluge in South Texas and Mexico led to the loss of four lives and the rescue of hundreds after more than 20 inches of rainfall inundated the border region between Thursday and Friday.

Hidalgo County, located about 150 miles southwest of Corpus Christi, was among the hardest-hit areas. A judge in the county declared a local disaster, confirming three fatalities. Authorities have yet to disclose the identities of the deceased.

Meanwhile, in Reynosa, a city within the Mexican state of Tamaulipas that shares a border with Hidalgo County, a fourth individual drowned, as reported by state officials.

Hidalgo County endured up to 14 inches of precipitation, leading to "significant property damage," according to county representatives. By Friday evening, the torrential downpours that drenched South Texas—equivalent to nearly half a year's worth of rainfall in just two days—had subsided.

The city of Harlingen, another heavily affected area, reported a staggering 21 inches of rainfall. Officials stated that emergency responders rescued more than 200 residents, while several hundred others remained in need of assistance.

In Tamaulipas, harrowing images shared by the state government depicted people being rescued from rooftops, wading through waist-high waters, and being evacuated via boats. Entire buses were submerged under floodwaters.

"A lot of rain fell in a few hours," noted Blanca Zumaya Escobedo, the state's public security spokeswoman. She further identified Reynosa and Rio Bravo as the most impacted cities in Tamaulipas.

Residents of Primera, Texas, situated northwest of Harlingen, are no strangers to extreme weather. One local, Victor, recounted his emotional turmoil, noting the devastating history of flooding in the region.

"Seeing the water was bringing back all of those emotions, anxiety, kind of dread that your home would be underwater again," he said. "It's just a feeling that you can't shake."

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service (NWS) projected that the storm system would shift northeast in the coming days, affecting Mississippi and Arkansas.

On Thursday night, flash flood emergency alerts were issued multiple times for South McAllen and Harlingen, both situated in the Rio Grande Valley in the southernmost part of Texas.

Floodwaters persisted into Friday morning, with rivers reaching perilous levels. A flood watch remains active for parts of South Texas and southern Louisiana.

Water levels in the Arroyo Colorado River near Harlingen have surged to nearly 30 feet, nearing record-breaking proportions. According to the NWS, the potential destruction caused by such a level is unprecedented. The prior record for the river's water level stood at 24 feet.

The extreme flooding resulted from a stationary boundary—a weather front separating warm and cold air masses that moves minimally or remains stagnant. By Friday morning, intense storms were still forming over the already devastated regions. One particularly severe storm over Harlingen was producing rainfall at a rate of three inches per hour.

Additionally, the storm system generated a tornado near Edcouch, Texas, approximately 25 miles northeast of McAllen, which inflicted damage on multiple structures.

Forecasts indicate that the likelihood of showers and thunderstorms will persist through the afternoon before diminishing by Friday evening.