MCALLEN, TEXAS — Flooding receded Tuesday in southern Texas and main highways reopened after as much as 13 inches of rain, which covered some neighborhoods with 3 to 4 feet of water.
Torrential rain flooded about 1,400 homes in Starr County, forcing the evacuation of at least 243 people, said Natividad Gonzalez of the Sheriff's Department.
No one was seriously hurt, but receding floodwaters revealed damaged roads, sinkholes and overwhelmed sewer systems.
Skies in Texas were mostly clear Tuesday, but heavy rain threatened just across the border in Mexico in the afternoon.
"We're just holding our breath," said Gene Falcon, Starr County emergency management coordinator.
Authorities near Wichita Falls used boats and military vehicles to rescue about 150 people from homes and stranded vehicles, said Wichita County's emergency management coordinator, Lee Bourgoin. No injuries were reported, but officials warned residents of low-lying areas to be prepared to evacuate.
"The ground is so hard here because we're in a drought, and when the rain came down so fast, it just flooded," Bourgoin said.
