HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — An entire section of the 610 East Loop and part of a neighborhood are underwater due to a sudden flood that appears to be the result of a massive water main break.
Cars are stranded in the water and there were people on top of some of them. Rescue boats from the Houston Fire Department and high water rescue vehicles from the Houston Police Department were being dispatched to pull commuters to safety.
Among those trapped, two men were seen on the top of a sinking truck in the middle of the water.
The cause is an apparent break in a large water main near Fidelity and N. Carolina, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Traffic on the loop at Clinton could be seen from SkyEye13 at a standstill, except for 18-wheelers that are driving through the high water. The rushing water also damaged the center divider between the northbound and southbound lanes of the East Loop.
In addition to water, a massive amount of mud and vegetation was pushed onto the road, covering some of the stranded vehicles with debris.
The water main break has caused a water outage for the area and has forced some businesses, including health clinics to close.
The mess spilled into the Clinton Park Tri-Community neighborhood, which includes at least 7,600 homes. It wasn’t yet clear how many homes were impacted or the extent of the damage.
