'Heartbreaking': Rescues underway as historic flooding hits South Texas border
WESLACO, Texas (Border Report) — The special high rescue vehicle drove slowly down this flooded neighborhood off of Paisano Lane on Friday in hard-hit Weslaco.
About 18 inches of rain fell here in less than 24 hours and water is at the door fronts of about 20 homes and receding slowly.
Any movement or force pushes more water into the homes. And sewage is backing up in the homes, Abigail Peña told Border Report.
Peña and her family were rescued by this specialized vehicle.
”It was pretty bad with all the dogs. Sewage was coming in through the pipes,” she said. “We were trying to just find a way out and thank God they came by to come rescue us.”
Weslaco Fire Chief Antonio Lopez says the equipment has proven invaluable during what he calls a “historic” weather event that struck the South Texas border Thursday.
Over 21 inches of rain fell in some parts of the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday night into Friday morning, soaking neighborhoods, stranding vehicles and taxing emergency crews.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez on Friday declared a state of emergency and has asked Gov. Greg Abbott for help.
”It’s just heartbreaking to see,” Lopez told Border Report as he watched the heavy vehicle slowly inch toward a home. “”These are hard-working people.”
The crews went to retrieve heart medication for an elderly resident. She waited on dry land at the end of the street, crying.
When the emergency crews finally returned, they not only had her medication but they had also retrieved Peña, her family and three dogs.
Her Chihuahua and Shitzu were shedding all over her black shirt. She said they did not lose power, but everyone was scared overnight.
Joseph Garza, 18, was hanging his head out a front window recording video on his cellphone as a tow truck removed a submerged pickup from what used to be his front yard. Now it looks more like a pond.
”It was scary. It got bad around 2 a.m. Me and my mom had to call the landlord to come help us. It was crazy,” Garza told Border Report.
His sister Ahtziri Ferrer came to visit him with high boots.
Garza was so excited to see her he jumped through the front window and waded through feet of water and gave her a hug.
”I was very worried. I told them to go to my house and they didn’t want to leave their stuff especially their parrot,” Ferrer said.
Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez called this a “historic” flooding that happens once in 100 years.
”It’s heartbreaking You don’t wish this on any one,” Weslaco City Commissioner Josh Pedraza said. “You feel helpless.”
”Weslaco citizens are very resilient. We’ve been through those issues before and it always seelms that we just come out stronger at the end,” Fire Chief Lopez said.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.