Houston flooding News

Harvey Recovery Czar Faces Limits in Texas Disaster Mitigation

The man tasked with overseeing Texas’ Hurricane Harvey rebuilding efforts sees his job as “future-proofing” before the next disaster, but he isn’t empowered on his own to reshape flood-prone Houston or the state’s vulnerable coastline, which has been walloped by …

Houston Small Businesses Begin Recovery After Harvey

Josh Beasley and his fiancé bought Houston’s Body3 Personal Fitness on July 1, less than two months before Tropical Storm Harvey swamped the gym with a foot of water and left behind the dank stench of fetid mildew. Wading into …

Experts Refuse to Second-Guess Decision Not to Evacuate Houston

Houston’s mayor has faced questions about his decision not to order an evacuation of the notoriously flood-prone city ahead of Harvey’s arrival, even as overflowing reservoirs led several suburbs to move people out. Instead, Mayor Sylvester Turner remained resolute Tuesday …

Sharp Drop Seen in Houston Flood Insurance Policies in Past 5 Years

Houston’s population is growing quickly, but when Harvey hit last weekend there were far fewer homes and other properties in the area with flood insurance than just five years ago, according to an Associated Press investigation. The sharp, 9 percent …

Houston Drainage Grid Considered Beyond Obsolete

Houston’s system of bayous and reservoirs was built to drain a tabletop-flat city prone to heavy rains. But its Depression-era design is no match for the stresses brought by explosive development and ever-wetter storms. Nearly any city would be overwhelmed …

Bond Bailout Could Plug Flood Financing Hole

The images from Houston, Texas, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey are horrific and heartbreaking, with homes fully submerged and residents being rescued by boats and helicopters. And that’s just the physical toll. Many residents of the fourth-largest U.S. city …

Many Houston Properties Not in FEMA Flood Zones Get Soaked

Rising floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Harvey chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground Sunday in Houston, overwhelming rescuers who fielded countless desperate calls for help. A fleet of helicopters, airboats and high-water vehicles confronted flooding so …

Damage Estimates Rise for Houston-Area Flooding

Authorities say flooding that’s claimed eight lives and displaced thousands of people in the Houston area has caused more than $14 million in damage and inundated more than 1,700 homes. They said Friday the damage figures from unincorporated areas of …

Houston Recovers From Another Deadly Flood

As more than a foot of rain deluged the nation’s fourth-largest city, inundating homes, shutting down major highways and leaving at least five people dead, Houston’s mayor said there was no immediate solution. Heavy flooding has become nearly an annual …