Rain eases drought but high water may linger

Associated Press

HOUSTON

This week’s record rainfall in Texas eased the state’s drought and swelled rivers and lakes to the point that they may not return to normal levels until July, scientists said Thursday.

Just weeks ago, much of the state was parched with varying levels of drought. But the same drenching rainfall that paralyzed parts of Houston and swept away a vacation home with eight people inside also offered relief from a long dry spell.

Many cities were still in danger of flooding as heavy rain from earlier in the week poured downstream, pushing rivers over their banks.

On Wednesday, the Houston area got a respite from the rain, but by Thursday runoff from earlier in the week had lifted the San Jacinto River above flood stage, and it kept climbing. Nearby residents watched the high water with alarm.

About 60 miles southwest of Houston, the mayor of Wharton asked residents to voluntarily evacuate about 300 homes because of the predicted rise of the Colorado River.

This week’s storms and floods in Texas and Oklahoma have left at least 23 people dead and at least 14 others missing.

In Miami, President Barack Obama said the flooding should serve as a reminder of the need to make the nation more resilient against natural disasters.

He said climate change is affecting both the pace and intensity of storms.

“The best scientists in the world are telling us that extreme weather events, like hurricanes, are likely to become more powerful,” Obama said during the first visit of his presidency to the National Hurricane Center.