Hundreds of evacuees have fled from flood-ravaged areas of Texas as rivers overflow their banks after severe storms hit the state.
More than 1,000 calls for help were received from people in the Houston area, as the downpour turned the streets into urban rivers. The death toll now stands at 17, though the number is expected to rise due to people still missing in Texas, according to Sky News.
Among the casualties were two people who died while inside their car. Houston Mayor Annise Parker said that the surge of high water was a factor in the many people who got hit on the road. "A lot of folks drove their cars into high water and had to abandon those vehicles," she said.
More than 2,500 vehicles were abandoned by their drivers as the floodwaters rose, prompting firefighters to engage in 500 water rescues, according to Sky News.
State climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said that the average rainfall across the state has already broken the record, topping at 7.54 inches. The previous record, 6.6 inches, was set in June 2004, according to Reuters.
"It has been ridiculous," Nielsen-Gammon said.
A state of disaster has already been declared in at least 40 counties in Texas. Harris County, which includes Houston, is included in these areas. Governor Greg Abbott has already deployed the National Guard to aid in the operations, though he remains worried about the situation.
"It's devastating to see what I saw on the Blanco River when this tidal wave of water just swept away neighborhoods," he said.
Reuters said that President Barack Obama recognizes the enormity of the damage in the area and has pledged that the government will do what it can to aid the people affected by the calamity.
"They appear to have the assets they need at this stage to respond, but there's going to be a lot of rebuilding," Obama said.
