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Friday, February 21, 1997

Rain continues to soak state; causes several fatalities

By STEFANI G. KOPENEC Associated Press Writer

Waterlogged Texans got another dose of heavy rain, causing flash flooding and conditions that were being blamed Thursday for four deaths across the state.

Storms stretched from the Red River to the South Texas coast, with rainfall amounts of up to 5 inches reported over portions of the state. Homeowners in some lakefront areas of North Texas braced for the worst, setting furniture on blocks and deploying sandbags as a precaution.

The threat of tornadoes also was looming. Nearly one-quarter of Texas was under a tornado watch Thursday, mainly in the central and eastern portions of the state. High winds damaged at least two houses in Arlington and also blew over fences and uprooted trees in the neighborhood.

Flash flood warnings were posted in north-central Texas, where rain and thunderstorms continued to dump large amounts of water - generally up to 1 inch per hour. Authorities reported numerous road closures.

Residents living along Lake Worth in Tarrant and Wise counties kept a close eye on rising water levels as a swollen spillway threatened to flood their homes. Back yards and boat docks already were submerged, and water had reached some foundations.

Mary Ford spent several hours taking everything out of the bottom cabinets in her home and moving them to higher ground.

"We didn't sleep all night last night because we were doing this," she said.

In Callahan County in northwest Texas, rain of up to 1 inch an hour was reported on top of 2.5 inches that fell overnight.

Up to 5 inches of rain fell over portions of south-central Texas and another 3 to 5 inches were expected. Rain was heaviest in Gillespie, Llano and Kerr counties. A flash flood watch was in effect through the afternoon for the Hill Country and adjacent areas.

Rain storms also were expected across much of Southeast Texas, with up to 5 inches possible and a threat of widespread flooding.

The Panhandle also experienced precipitation, with a light rain falling throughout the day in Lubbock. "I think it's a little too wet for me," said April Coleman, while waiting for a bus in that city's downtown station. "It's all right I guess, though, since it hasn't been raining anywhere (recently)."

Meteorologist Robert Blaha of the National Weather Service in New Braunfels, north of San Antonio, said the rains helped a few cities reach normal levels for the year.

Del Rio had recorded only 0.64 inches of rain through Wednesday, compared with a normal 1.25. But, the city received 1.5 inches between midnight and 6 a.m. Thursday.

San Antonio, however, was still below normal with 2.26 inches for the year, compared with a normal 2.99 inches.

Wet weather has been blamed for four deaths since Wednesday, including a Decatur toddler who drowned when the car driven by his mother was swept off a highway.

A Fort Worth man died when he was struck by lightning following an accident on Interstate 45 south of Dallas and a Wylie man died when his vehicle skidded out of control and struck another.

Farther south, a Burnet man was killed when his pickup truck hydroplaned on Texas 29 during heavy rain and struck an oncoming car. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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