Posted on 05/27/2007 8:40:49 AM PDT by DeaconBenjamin2
DALLAS - Rescue teams suspended their search Saturday for a man now presumed to be the sixth person killed by rising waters in Central Texas, and forecasters warned that the recurring rain could cause more flooding statewide.
A daylong search that included cadaver dogs and kayakers on the swollen Pedernales River ended with Edgar Garcia, 22, still missing after the current swept away his sport utility vehicle Thursday. Five other storm-related deaths, including those of two brothers ages 5 and 6, have been confirmed.
"I just don't believe there's a chance anymore," Gillespie County Sheriff Milton Jung said. "If [Garcia] was alive, someone would have found or heard him by now."
Forecasters expect the storms, which have dumped more than 10 inches of rain in some areas, to continue at least through Sunday.
In the Brazos Valley, storm clouds were prevalent throughout the day, but the rainfall was much less severe. College Station's Easterwood Airport received2.2 inches of rain and the area south of Caldwell received up to 3 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Flooding in Milam County prompted the closure of more than a half-dozen roads, but for the most part, the rain passed through the Brazos Valley without causing major problems, according to local law enforcement agencies.
However, volunteers and rescue workers from the area - including members of Texas Task Force 1 and a team of Brazos Valley Red Cross workers - traveled to other parts of the state with hopes of helping those affected by the storms, officials said.
In other areas, roads were washed out and some intersections remained closed Saturday after two days of pounding rain. Gov. Rick Perry activated National Guard troops to be deployed in Waco, Austin and San Antonio for the holiday weekend.
Also in San Antonio were seven members of College Station-based Texas Task Force 1. As of Saturday evening, the elite search-and-rescue team was still on standby, waiting to see if its services would be needed, according to spokesman Jay Socol.
Central Texas remained under a flash flood warning, and as much as 3 more inches of rain could fall in the region by Sunday, said Jennifer Dunn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
North Texas and the Houston area also braced for heavy rains, and the weather service issued flash flood warnings for both regions.
Authorities said the search for Garcia has shifted from a rescue effort to body recovery. Garcia had driven around a barrier set up near the river, which swelled to as much as 20 feet above normal.
About 30 people searched a seven-mile stretch Saturday for Garcia, Gillespie County sheriff's Lt. Jim Judd said. The river remains as much as 7 feet above normal, and Jung said the high water levels prevented boats and search dogs from getting in the water.
The search will resume Sunday morning, Judd said.
Farther north in Killeen, the bodies of two brothers, ages 5 and 6, were found early Friday in a submerged SUV. The boys were riding with their mother and two siblings Thursday when their vehicle was washed off the road into a gully, said Garland Potvin, a Bell County justice of the peace.
Rescuers saved the mother and two siblings, but the swift-moving water rose too quickly for rescuers to help the boys trapped inside, Killeen police said.
The body of a 20-year-old man caught in rushing water was found lodged along a culvert late Thursday in Killeen, Potvin said.
Outside Copperas Cove, a husband and wife died late Thursday after attempting to cross floodwaters in their vehicle, said Bill Price, a Coryell County justice of the peace.
Six Brazos Valley Red Cross volunteers were sent to Killeen to hand out cleanup kits and help with damage assessment in the area, Red Cross branch manager Sharon Zambrzycki said.
"If there is a disaster and an area needs extra volunteers, we're called upon to help," she said Saturday. "I was proud that we had volunteers trained and ready to go."
In Milam County, flooding caused closures on stretches of F.M. 437, F.M. 486 and F.M. 1915, as well as on County Roads 119, 120, 140, 143 and 147.
The most common cause of drowning deaths in flash floods is people that attempt to drive across sections of road covered by moving water.
I was in Waco for the past week. Saturday morning it was pouring down bucketloads of rain. Man, I’ve never seen rain like this where I’m from. I feel sorry for the residents who have to try to fortify their properties against this. Luckily there was a break mid-morning, allowing me to drive to Austin and catch my plane out of there.
One good thing about the rain, it’s kept the weekenders and tourists home so they’re not rattling my windows with their noise this holiday weekend.
Got on board a westbound 747
Didn’t think before deciding what to do
Ooh, that talk of opportunities
TV breaks and movies
Rang true
Sure rang true
Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I’ve often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl don’t they warn ya
It pours, man it pours
I live in the area and this morning was a repeat of yesterday’s monsoon. The ground can’t hold any more water. Looks like we may get a break for a few hours soon but the five day forecast calls for rain every day.
As many times as it’s said, not to cross, people still do it.
Prayers for all those poor families.
One thing we have gained is that Lake Travis is filled and looks really great. Due to the long drought, the lake had been down more than 60 feet. It is now above normal.
So glad Lake Travis is up again. I know it’s awful to look out the window and see a lake that is drying up. Lake Waco is the same way. A few months ago they expected water rationing this summer. Now we have more than we can use. A few roads in my neighborhood were closed earlier today because of high rushing water and an overflowing creek, but fortunately nobody was hurt and no homes were flooded. I am so sorry for the people in the Killeen area — they took the brunt of this.
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