HOUSTON – Severe weather moved through the Houston area Friday afternoon and evening leaving some flooding and high water in different parts of town.
More severe weather is expected to move into the area in the early hours of Saturday morning.
City and county prepare for weekend’s storms
Harris County is gearing up and activating its high water rescue team to be ready. Starting Friday, county leaders are deploying six of its high water rescue vehicles all over the precinct. They will be staged and ready to go.
The constable said 30 members of Harris County Pct. 1 are certified to perform swift-water rescues. Meanwhile, Pct. 4 has it’s two five-ton trucks, two rescue boats and a Hummer staged throughout their precinct.
Harris County Flood Control District is asking you to be prepared
Harris County officials with the Flood Control District said they’re ready too. They are checking all water gauges and they’re all encouraging the public to prepare for heavy rain as they would for a hurricane as well.
“18 days or so to the start hurricane season ... it’s a good reminder to have flood insurance. 60% of the homes that flood in Harris County are outside the flood plain, so now is a good time to make sure you have the flood insurance and to make sure you haven’t relapsed,” Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control District meterologist, said.
RADAR: Follow the weather with our live radar here
High water locations: High water being reported on Houston-area roads
KPRC 2 reporters were in different parts of the Houston area where the worst flooding happened. Here’s what they saw:
KPRC 2′s Rose-Ann Aragon was in Pasadena where residents were displaced and drivers were stranded
It was a trying Friday for residents who live in Pasadena as powerful rains hit the area Friday afternoon, causing flooding in some areas. One apartment complex was hit with several inches of water causing several residents to be displaced. Meanwhile, drivers dealt with the wet, wet roads.
Pasadena Police said 60-80 units were affected at The Pointe apartment complexes on Shaver. About half of those units were occupied, according to Pasadena Police. The first-floor units received 1-2 inches of water, causing many residents to have to relocate, for the time being, investigators said. The Red Cross and Salvation Army were called to the area to help displaced residents.
"The first floor is really messed up. A lot of people are leaving. I'm leaving," Daniel Sanchez, a resident, said. "It's just a lot of flooding it's really bad."
Sanchez said his neighbors had worse damage. Sanchez said he went to help his neighbors.
"Nobody here deserves [to go through] that," Sanchez said.
Meanwhile, roadways in Pasadena caused issues for drivers along Red Bluff Road.
"Plenty of people. There's like 4-5 cars back there that just flood out," Levi Montes, a driver, said. Bobby Prall tried to make it through the waters--unsuccessfully.
"We were trying to make it to this UHaul. We came down the Beltway to Red Bluff... Thought we could make it...but the car shut off," Prall said.
Over near Spencer Highway, it was a similar sight.
"People trying it and not making it," Robert Jones, another stranded driver, said.
Officials warn drivers and residents to be cautious during severe weather.
Trees toppled over in heavy rains in Fort Bend County, KPRC 2′s Jonathan Martinez reports
It was a sight to see along Sienna Ranch Road in Sienna Plantation.
Friday afternoon storms toppled over a massive tree that ended up blocking a part of the street.
Chappell Temple, a resident in the area said, “I was just out on a walk, this is the second time in a week that a tree has come crashing down over the street, so yeah.”
Many neighbors stopped by to check out the scene said considering the weekend forecast with more rain expected, the Friday afternoon storms weren’t a surprise.
“Warm and muggy and then really really sheeting rain. Blowing, sheeting rain. Just a good one,” explained resident Susan McClure.
Down the road in Missouri City, parts of Highway 6 also saw lots of rain leading to ponding on the road.
Drivers took it slow to make sure they made it through safely.
Along Plantation Trail, mother nature gave neighbors a temporary waterview home as flash flooding led to knee-high water in some spots.
The good news for neighbors though, less than a half an hour later the water had all but receded.
“It just quickly builds up in the cul-de-sac here, and then when it stops the drainage takes it away. Takes maybe 20 minutes," said homeowner Paul Jacob.
A Kemah restaurant called ‘Swamp Shack’ gets swamped in torrential rains
The owner of a restaurant called the Alan’s Swamp Shack says his place is now under two feet of water after a torrential downpour Friday evening.
Employees spent the evening cleaning out the lower level.
“Luckily it doesn’t get into any of our equipment or it doesn’t get up into the upper floor where our bar and kitchen is,” owner Alan Franks said.
Franks believes his headache is tied to an issue with the city’s drainage system.
"When the rainwater comes out of the drains, it’s like a swamp so I guess that’s why they call us the swamp shack," he said.
Near Clear Creek High School, some drivers took their chances but others chose not to.
“We have some flooding but nothing you can’t drive through typically,” said Jake Smith.
The water even made it’s way into part of St. Christopher Episcopal Church in League City and now part of the parish office will need new carpets and floors.
“We focus a lot of prayer and hope and we know the water’s going to recede eventually and we’ll get back to work, putting everything back together,” said Pastor Brian Cannaday.