Storm Beta brings heavy rains causing severe floods in Houston

Houston, Sept. 24: Tropical storm Beta has caused severe flooding in Houston as it weakened into a tropical depression on September 22 bringing incessant rains, flooding streets, and forcing emergency workers to rescue dozens of people.

The heavy rains submerged the roads, swamping cars, blocking highways, and forced to shut schools, offices, and energy shipping ports. The National Hurricane Center has predicted as much as 6 to 12 inches of rain in the middle and upper Texas coast, with some regions getting as much as 20 inches.

The National Hurricane center has issued a warning saying that significant flash and urban flooding will continue for the middle and upper Texas coast today. It added that the slow- motion of Beta will continue to produce a long duration rainfall event from the middle Texas coast to southern Louisiana. It further added that flash, urban and minor to isolated moderate river flooding is likely to occur.

The periods of rainfall will spread east into the Lower Mississippi Valley and portions of the south east through the end of the week.

The weather department said that persistent onshore flow will continue to result in above normal high tides, and coastal flooding over the next few days will be slow to recede. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was reported to have appealed the local residents to stay home and warned not to drive through the high waters.

THE HEAVY rains submerged the roads, swamping cars, blocking highways, and forced to shut schools, offices, and energy shipping ports.