ROCKPORT, Texas — Rockport Mayor Pat Rios urged residents to stay home Wednesday with much of the city experiencing deep and damaging floods.
“We’ve received more rain in the past few hours than we do in half a year," Rios said. "It’s difficult for people to comprehend that.”
A longtime Rockport Police officer was equally surprised by the torrential downpours.
“We have had, what I would consider, record flooding," Commander Larry Sinclair said. "In the 32 years that I’ve worked for this agency we haven’t experienced flooding quite like this."
The Rockport Fire Department used their high-profile brush trucks to drive through the high water and help people get out of flooded homes and cars.
“If (the water in the road) looks high, turn around -- don’t drown," Rios said. "We want people to be safe. So far, we have no reports of anyone seriously injured."
Rios and Sinclair want to keep it that way.
But with more rain possible and flooding slow to recede, dangers abound in Rockport overnight.
“What we really want to encourage people to do is -- sit tight," Sinclair said. "Stay in their house."
“We’re eternally thankful for those first responders out there for doing the job that they do," Rios said. "We would ask people to try and help us out by staying home and not putting those folks in danger."
The city is considering opening shelters for displaced residents, but no decision has been made yet.
For the most up to date list of impassable roads because of flooding, click here.
