STORY: Evacuation ordered in eastern Texas as worsening flooding expected
SHOOTING TIME: May 2, 2024
DATELINE: May 3, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:12
LOCATION: HOUSTON, U.S.
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of flood in residential areas of north of Houston, Texas, United States

STORYLINE:

Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are worsening flooding threats on Thursday across eastern Texas, including the Houston area, forcing evacuations and school closures.
   
Jeff Lindner, meteorologist and flood control director of Harris County, where much of Houston belongs to, said the flooding was "widespread and dangerous."
   
"Parts of the north Houston metro, as well as areas around Beaumont, have picked up 5 to 8 inches of rain" in the past 24 hours, weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman said on Thursday afternoon.
   
The heaviest rain has fallen in a swath from around Lake Conroe to Lake Livingston in east Texas, including the city of Huntsville, he said, adding that rainfall totals over the past 24 hours have ranged from 7 to 12 inches in that zone.
   
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Thursday called a mandatory evacuation of the Houston areas along the east fork of the San Jacinto River, pleading for residents to leave their homes before flooding worsens Thursday night.
   
"We need you out of that area," Hidalgo said, noting that flood waters are expected to rise to levels high enough to flood even raised home and could touch power lines.
   
"Please evacuate as soon as possible," the judge said, "certainly before nighttime if at all possible."
   
A number of school districts in the Houston area as well as eastern Texas announced closures for Thursday and Friday.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Houston, U.S.
(XHTV)