This archive report was first published on 20 September 2019.
Published on September 20, 2019, a devastating flood hit southeast Texas, leaving residents in a state of panic and reminiscent of the 2017 Hurricane Harvey.
Edmund Hann, an 81-year-old resident of Winnie, Texas, was one of the many who experienced the flood firsthand. He had moved back into his rebuilt home 15 months ago, but the floodwaters from Tropical Depression Imelda were just as high as those from Hurricane Harvey two years ago.
"I never thought I'd go through it a second time," said Mr. Hann. "It was 31 inches of water in Harvey. And this one right here has got to be at least 40 inches."
Across southeast Texas, residents called the deluge Harvey 2.0. The city of Beaumont was pummeled with nearly 25 inches of rain, while southwestern parts of the city and into Jefferson County received almost 42 inches of rain.
Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster in 13 counties, including Chambers County, Beaumont's Jefferson County, and Houston's Harris County. More than 1,000 people were rescued in Harris County, while officials in nearby Orange County said at least 400 high-water rescues were made.
At least 800 houses and businesses were flooded in Chambers County, and officials rescued at least 300 people on Thursday, as well as a few dozen dogs, cats, and horses. The officials said rescues were complicated by the swift-moving floodwaters that shut down parts of Interstate 10 and turned rural ranches and country roads into lakes.
"A lot of people are getting flooded in their cars," said Ryan Holzaepfel, the fire marshal in Chambers County. "They think they can drive through the water, but it's deeper than they think."
On Thursday, there were limited reports of deaths and injuries. A young man drowned after being electrocuted while trying to move his horse, his family said. The Harris County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that another man had been extracted from a submerged van and was pronounced dead.
For some residents, the flood was a painful reminder of the devastating flooding from Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Carla Cruz, a 23-year-old resident of Beaumont, remembered how water flowed through her home on Calder Avenue and how it took more than a year to replace the furniture.
"It was too late for us to try to save furniture and clothes," she said. "As I stepped outside, it was to my waist."
Ms. Cruz, a server at an Italian restaurant, said city residents live with "a little PTSD." They exchange nervous glances whenever it rains for more than an hour.
