Houston Flooding

[SWTXBelle]

In many places, it's worse than the flooding with Ike. My husband's car took in water - we're waiting for AAA. The water came to about halfway up the tires - floor mats are soaked. Still, it WANTS to start - so fingers crossed. Prayers, lighting candles, sacrificing goats are all appreciated. I DO NOT need to come up with the deductible.

http://www.chron.com/

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

In many places, it's worse than the flooding with Ike. My husband's car took in water - we're waiting for AAA. The water came to about halfway up the tires - floor mats are soaked. Still, it WANTS to start - so fingers crossed. Prayers, lighting candles, sacrificing goats are all appreciated. I DO NOT need to come up with the deductible.

http://www.chron.com/

Just stay safe!

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

In many places, it's worse than the flooding with Ike. My husband's car took in water - we're waiting for AAA. The water came to about halfway up the tires - floor mats are soaked. Still, it WANTS to start - so fingers crossed. Prayers, lighting candles, sacrificing goats are all appreciated. I DO NOT need to come up with the deductible.

http://www.chron.com/

The storms were pretty strong coming through DFW, but nowhere near the point of flooding. Ditto what DS said -- stay safe!

[SWTXBelle]

Thanks, guys - I'm high and dry. Car didn't start, so insurance (Hooray for USAA!) will be coming to get it.

How about our other Houston-area GCers? Y'all okay?

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Thanks, guys - I'm high and dry. Car didn't start, so insurance (Hooray for USAA!) will be coming to get it.

How about our other Houston-area GCers? Y'all okay?

I love USAA! They are a great company! They'll take care of you!

[Kevlar281]

Everything is fine down in Clear Lake. Being so close to the water with bayou system, all we need is a lull in the rain and everything will drain. Last night’s showers were pretty sporadic on this side of town. Nothing near as bad as last week.

[libramunoz]

Try living up here! It's raining cats, dogs, trees, lemurs, toads, and whatever else it can! It's been raining since I woke up this morning (6:15ish) to go do a subbing job. Kids (Kindergartners) were a bit skittish due to the lightening and thunder! Where I live, there is a train tresle that you have to cross under and it's closed down due to the flooding in the area. I took some backroads to get home, but it was still a bit "riverish" to say the least.
The ground is totally soaked--and it's supposed to rain for the rest of the week. Dunno where it's going to go it's just flooding the roadways at this point it's so bad.
We're about 4 hrs from Houston.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by libramunoz

Try living up here! It's raining cats, dogs, trees, lemurs, toads, and whatever else it can! It's been raining since I woke up this morning (6:15ish) to go do a subbing job. Kids (Kindergartners) were a bit skittish due to the lightening and thunder! Where I live, there is a train tresle that you have to cross under and it's closed down due to the flooding in the area. I took some backroads to get home, but it was still a bit "riverish" to say the least.
The ground is totally soaked--and it's supposed to rain for the rest of the week. Dunno where it's going to go it's just flooding the roadways at this point it's so bad.
We're about 4 hrs from Houston.

LOL @ raining lemurs

It's sunny in DFW now. I didn't think the storms would linger for so long. I hope some sun comes down to the Houston area soon.

[IlovemyAKA]

It was pretty bad. I kept trying to find an alternate route that wasn't flooded. I was alone in the office until 8:40. Everyone was late.

[Kevlar281]

Turn Around Don't Drown...some crazy flooded out car pics.

[srmom]

I had 5 inches in my living room (why someone would build a "sunken living room" in Houston is beyond me)!!

But, to be fair, this is the first time in years that we've flooded, we have French drains all around it and they usually do the trick. Problem this time was that there was so much rain (I'm in the Memorial area 10 -12 inches from 12 to 4 am), that the water in the street was so high that the drains wouldn't drain so they backed up. Oh, well... worse things have happened.

We have brick floors in there, so we just got the furniture out and lifted the Oriental rug off the floor and bailed water - for 3 freaking hours!!!

Crazy thing, what woke me was the tornado siren going off somewhere close by at around 2:30! I had never heard it before and it totally freaked me out! My dogs were going crazy, so I went to look out the front door, the street was like a river raging down towards Buffalo Bayou! Then, I looked to the left, into the living room, and saw our indoor wading pool! So, I got my husband and son up and we started moving the stuff.

Right now, we are still drying out the rug, but it will be fine along with the furniture

Obviously, I didn't go in to work yesterday!!

[paulam]

Originally Posted by srmom

I had 5 inches in my living room (why someone would build a "sunken living room" in Houston is beyond me)!!

But, to be fair, this is the first time in years that we've flooded, we have French drains all around it and they usually do the trick. Problem this time was that there was so much rain (I'm in the Memorial area 10 -12 inches from 12 to 4 am), that the water in the street was so high that the drains wouldn't drain so they backed up. Oh, well... worse things have happened.

We have brick floors in there, so we just got the furniture out and lifted the Oriental rug off the floor and bailed water - for 3 freaking hours!!!

Crazy thing, what woke me was the tornado siren going off somewhere close by at around 2:30! I had never heard it before and it totally freaked me out! My dogs were going crazy, so I went to look out the front door, the street was like a river raging down towards Buffalo Bayou! Then, I looked to the left, into the living room, and saw our indoor wading pool! So, I got my husband and son up and we started moving the stuff.

Right now, we are still drying out the rug, but it will be fine along with the furniture

Obviously, I didn't go in to work yesterday!!

I am so sorry to hear your house was flooded. Rugs and carpeting are the most difficult to have to deal with. I, too, am in the Memorial area. We had water in the hall bathroom but it never ventured further. We were so lucky, because I did not buy flood insurance. Our house is not in the flood plain so it is not required, but I am definitely going to buy it now. My friend told me it is very inexpensive and saves a lot of worry. Everything we have is replaceable except my kids but I'd rather not have to deal with FEMA! I remember during Tropical Storm Allison, I heard about a woman who was calling everyone she knew asking how she could get her baby grand piano up the stairs!

It's hard to believe that the fourth largest city in America has no system in place to deal with flooding. The ground is so soft, it is called "gumbo". That is why we don't have basements here.

The three network channels and the three local stations ran reports all day yesterday showing the devastation. Cars were flooded out everywhere and some watched in horror as an SUV was swept into a culvert with a person in the driver's seat. His body was recovered this morning. The freeways were fine, but the exits were under water, so no one could get off the road.

Many school districts closed and HISD postponed the TAKS test until today because so many kids could not get to school. The mayor and the city government urged people to stay home if possible, but many tried to get to work or school and regretted it.

Our family owns an insurance agency and the claims are coming in faster than they can process them. Many customers have a large deductible for comp (wet brakes, flooded engines, etc.) and for their homeowners coverage (as much as 2% of the home's value) and this will create a real hardship for many people.

I hope the City of Houston will continue to find a solution to the flooding problem soon. It's a great place to live except for this one huge issue.

Paula M
Sigma Delta Tau
Patrae Multi Spes Una
One Hope of Many People

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by paulam

It's hard to believe that the fourth largest city in America has no system in place to deal with flooding.

I agree, especially after the past few hurricane seasons.

[srmom]

Paula, Did you hear the siren? It was because a tornado supposedly touched down in Hunters Creek. It's what woke me up. I didn't even know there was one!!

I didn't have flood insurance either and plan on getting it ASAP. But, like I said, having brick floors in there saved me!!

We live down the street from the bayou, so usually our street doesn't flood because it drains down to it well. But like I said, the other night, the street looked like a river, and it was flowing really fast! If someone had been walking in that water, I can see how they could have been swept away!

I drove over the Beltway - I-10 intersection today and knew that divers were down there in the culverts looking for the car and driver. So sad, he leaves a wife and 11 year old daughter. Scary thing is that he was right in front of Sams when his car started floating in the water. That guy tried to hold on to the bumper, but the current was so strong that it sucked that car right into the drain! They need to get those covers on those drains right away!!!

[paulam]

Originally Posted by srmom

Paula, Did you hear the siren? It was because a tornado supposedly touched down in Hunters Creek. It's what woke me up. I didn't even know there was one!!

I didn't have flood insurance either and plan on getting it ASAP. But, like I said, having brick floors in there saved me!!

We live down the street from the bayou, so usually our street doesn't flood because it drains down to it well. But like I said, the other night, the street looked like a river, and it was flowing really fast! If someone had been walking in that water, I can see how they could have been swept away!

I drove over the Beltway - I-10 intersection today and knew that divers were down there in the culverts looking for the car and driver. So sad, he leaves a wife and 11 year old daughter. Scary thing is that he was right in front of Sams when his car started floating in the water. That guy tried to hold on to the bumper, but the current was so strong that it sucked that car right into the drain! They need to get those covers on those drains right away!!!

I did not hear the siren because I use a breather at night which blocks out most sounds (not that horrendous thunder, however). We are near the bayou and are always waiting for it to overflow. Years ago, our street was flooded. I looked out the front window and there was a tiny white dog paddling down the middle of the street. I hope he made it to dry land. I never forgot that!

The city was supposed to place the drain cover on as soon as construction was finished but never did it. I am sure there will be a law suit filed by the family over that. It is really sad to lose someone that way.

I am glad the rains have stopped and the flooding has receded for now.

Paula M
Sigma Delta Tau
Patrae Multi Spes Una
One Hope of Many People