AUSTIN COUNTY FLOODING UPDATE

  

This is an urgent message from Austin County Emergency Management:

Evacuation from flood prone areas is urgently recommended for your safety before leaving is impossible. Evacuation during daylight hours is recommended. The slow movement of Tropical Storm Harvey will result in continuing rainfall over Austin County, predicted to be as high as 20 inches during the next 24 to 36 hours which will result in additional flooding. If your area flooded in 2015 or 2016, you will flood again this time. Predicted rain fall between 7 am to 7 pm Sunday is 2 to 4 inches. Sunday 7 pm to Monday 7 am will be 4 to 8 inches. Monday 7 pm to Tuesday 7 am will be 4 to 8 inches. For the safety of your family and first responders, those living in low areas need to evacuate to higher ground now before the roads are impassable and your home floods. Those living along the Brazos River, the current level of the Brazos River is at 106 feet and rising. Flood level at the gage in San Felipe is predicted to be 122.5-feet by late Sunday evening and 129.3-foot level by Monday evening. Flood levels in all areas will remain until Friday. Additional rain beyond the 72-hour period will add to severity of flooding. For reference the flood level crest occurring on May 28, 2016 was 128.50. Mill Creek is predicted to crest on Monday at 11PM. The San Bernard is predicted to reach record flood levels and currently is out of its banks. There are already many areas where the roads are obstructed. Be alert and remember to turn around dont drown.

The Austin County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that a tornado touched down in the Bleiblerville area Saturday evening. No one was reported injured, but there is visible damage to structures in the Bleiblerville area.

Bellville ISD will not hold classes on Monday or Tuesday of this week.

The Austin County Sheriff’s Department reports that they expect the Brazos River, San Bernard River and Mill Creek to leave their banks and flood low lying areas of Austin County in the next 48 hours. The San Bernard River is already flooding areas near Wallis.

Road Closures in Austin County:

Highway 36 is reported now closed just north of Sealy at FM 2187.

FM 106, FM 389, FM 2429 and FM 2754
Waak and Hoff Roads, and Kiesenweeter and Koehn Roads
​Beckendorf Road between FM 3013 and Carriage Lane
​In Sealy: West Front Street behind Jack in the Box, Columbus Road,
​Meyer, Peschel and Woods Roads are all closed