Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

Wednesday 9 august 2017 U.S. NEWS
A4

Torrential rains bring widespread flooding to Houston area

By JUAN A. LOZANO said. A lack of heavy rain
Associated Press through Tuesday afternoon
HOUSTON (AP) — Heavy had helped return all bay-
rains that caused flooding ous and creeks to within
in some parts of the Hous- their banks and cleared all
ton area and prompted reported high water loca-
about two-dozen water res- tions along Houston road-
cues on Tuesday seemed ways.
to have stopped just be- Many of the streets, road-
fore getting worse but with ways and neighborhoods
more rain expected au- that got flooded on Tues-
thorities remain on guard day were locations that
and residents should stay have had flooding in the
prepared, officials said. past, Lindner said.
“Unfortunately, this is one “This is one of the more kind
of those Texas flood events of marginal rain events,
that’s part of living in South- where the rain stopped just
east Texas,” said Michael an inch or two before we
Walter, a spokesman for really got into serious prob-
Houston’s Office of Emer- lems and potential to af-
gency Management. fect a lot of homes,” Lind-
While thunderstorms that A motorists drives through floodwaters on West Mount Houston Road near Interstate 45 North, in ner said. For the most part,
dropped up to 5 to 6 inch- Houston. Torrential rains have brought more flooding to the Houston area as emergency officials the area’s system of bay-
es of rain in some parts of urge motorists to stay home until the water recedes. ous and other man-made
Houston overnight had (Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle via AP) channels that dispatch
mostly moved out of the and barricades in differ- the greatest potential for foot of water that flooded storm runoff to the Gulf of
area Tuesday, additional ent areas of Houston just heavy rain was expected his North Houston resale Mexico “did a good job
storms could pop up Tues- in case expected rainfall in areas east of Houston. shop and moving soggy even though the ground
day evening, which could Tuesday afternoon and Jeff Lindner, a meteorolo- merchandise, including fur- was wet and the rainfall
cause additional flooding evening becomes prob- gist with the Harris County niture, suitcases and small was very intense over-
in areas already saturat- lematic, Walter said. Flood Control District, said appliances, outside to dry. night,” Lindner said. Ac-
ed by rainfall. “We don’t The National Weather Ser- he expects some homes Ruiz, 53, said he will likely cording to the flood con-
want anyone to let their vice has issued a flash- and structures will be flood- have to throw away at trol district, only a few local
guard down just because flood watch for the region ed but that tally is still being least $2,000 in merchandise bayous had overflowed
it stopped raining for now,” until Wednesday morning. determined. Houston is lo- and is now looking to move their banks and caused
Walter said. The weather service said cated in Harris County. his business, which has some flooding of homes
Authorities plan to pre- additional rainfall was fore- Jose Luis Ruiz spent Tues- flooded twice before and and businesses. Both Lind-
stage emergency vehicles cast for Tuesday night but day sweeping out about 1 is located behind a bayou ner and Walter said recent
that overflowed from its heavy rain events in Hous-
banks on Tuesday. ton in May 2015 — when
“It’s very sad because this seven people were killed
is a small business. It’s not a — and April 2016 — when
grand thing but it’s our liv- eight people were killed
ing. When this happens, it’s — were more serious and
a blow to you because you caused hundreds of millions
have to start over,” Ruiz of dollars in damage.q

Wreckage of US military aircraft
found off Australia; three dead

SYDNEY (AP) — The sub- shortly after the ship’s ar-
merged wreckage of a rival, Australian Defense
U.S. military aircraft was Minister Marise Payne said
found on Monday, two in a statement.
days after it crashed into An Australian navy dive
the sea off the east coast team was helping to re-
of Australia and left three cover the aircraft, the U.S.
U.S. Marines dead, Austra- Marine base Camp Butler
lia’s defense minister said. in Japan said.
An Australian navy ship Three Marines missing
arrived in Shoalwater Bay since the crash were de-
in Queensland state Sun- clared dead on Tuesday.
day night to help the U.S. Camp Butler said they
military hunt for the MV-22 were: Marine 1st Lt. Ben-
Osprey, which the Marines jamin Cross, 26, of Oxford,
said was conducting reg- Maine; Cpl. Nathaniel
ularly scheduled opera- Ordway, 21, of Sedg-
tions on Saturday when wick, Kansas; and Pfc.
it crashed into the water. Ruben Velasco, 19, of Los
The wreckage was found Angeles.q