Floodwaters start receding around Houston area as recovery begins following rescues and evacuations

HOUSTON (AP) — Floodwaters in the Houston area and parts of Southeast Texas began to recede on Monday, allowing residents to begin returning to their homes and assess damages after days of heavy rainfall that pummeled the area and led to hundreds of rescues — including people who were stranded on rooftops.

While officials in Harris County, where Houston is located, reported no deaths or major injuries from the flooding, Gov. Greg Abbott said there were at least three deaths in the state. Among those killed was a 4-year-old boy in North Texas who died after riding in a car that was swept away in fast waters.

After days of heavy rainfall in the Houston area and other parts of Southeast Texas, Monday's weather was dominated by mostly sunny skies and little if any rain.

“We can absolutely see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we’ve made it through the worst of this weather event,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county’s top elected official, told reporters Monday.

Areas near Lake Livingston, located northeast of Houston, received upwards of 23 inches (58 centimeters) of rain over the past week, National Weather Service meteorologist Jimmy Fowler said. Areas in northeastern Harris County, the nation’s third-largest county, had a range of between 6 inches (15 centimeters) to almost 17 inches (43 centimeters) of rain in that same period.

Hidalgo said 233 people and 186 pets had been rescued in Harris County over the last few days. Active rescues stopped Monday, and officials were transitioning from a response phase into recovery mode and cleanup, she said.

Across Texas, more than 600 people were rescued by local and state authorities, Abbott said. A disaster declaration was issued by Abbott for 91 counties impacted by the severe weather.

“It has been heart wrenching to see our fellow Texans be literally inundated with record water fall,” Abbott said.

While many of the impacted neighborhoods and subdivisions along the San Jacinto River in Harris County were accessible on Monday, others remained cut off by flooded roadways.

“We’re a resilient community. I know we’ll continue to recover from this,” said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

At least five school districts around the Houston area were closed on Monday due to the flooding.

Houston is one of the most flood-prone metro areas in the country. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 dumped historic rainfall that flooded thousands of homes and resulted in more than 60,000 rescues.

Most of the city of Houston was not heavily impacted by last week’s rainfall, except for the neighborhood of Kingwood, where some homes and roads flooded.

Abbott said preliminary reports showed at least 800 structures in the state had been damaged. But he expected that number to increase as officials in many impacted communities had not yet begun to assess the destruction.

Various counties and communities north and east of the Houston area on Monday were also transitioning from rescue to recovery.

“I don’t think this is going to be a short term recovery, that’s for sure. It’s going to be a very long term recovery,” said Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy.

At least 174 water rescues were done in Polk County, where many areas still remained underwater on Monday, Murphy said.

In Walker County, water rescues had stopped, but swift-water rescue teams were checking on residents in about 100 homes who had decided not to evacuate but now couldn't leave because of high water, said Sherri Pegoda, the county's deputy emergency management coordinator. The rescue teams were taking food and water to these residents, she said.

“Another week or maybe two before the waters recede enough for them to get out on their own,” Pegoda said.

As he rode a boat through a rural flooded neighborhood in Trinity County on Sunday, Sheriff Woody Wallace said during a Facebook livestream that the residents in his county had “suffered much.”

During the livestream, partially submerged cars and street signs could be seen around Wallace. At one point, a game warden on the boat rescued an armadillo that had been swimming in the flood waters.

“Poor little thing out here about to drown,” Wallace said, adding they would take the armadillo, which he named Sam, to shore.

In Johnson County, south of Fort Worth, a 4-year-old boy died when he was swept away after the vehicle he was riding in became stuck in swift-moving water near the community of Lillian just before 2 a.m. Sunday, an official said. The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office said the cause of death of the child, who would have turned 5 later this month, was drowning.

Abbott said two other deaths tied to the severe weather were a man in Bosque County who was swept away by rushing waters and a Conroe Police Department officer who died after being injured when a tornado struck his home in Trinity County on April 28.

Murphy said she is tired of dealing with historic weather events, but "whatever happens, whatever Mother Nature sends our way, then we will deal with.”

Associated Press reporter Jamie Stengle in Dallas and videojournalist Lekan Oyekanmi in Houston contributed to this report.

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Yanira Diaz stands in her muddy living room as she begins the clean up process of her flood-damaged home in the River Plantation neighborhood on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Conroe, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A construction worker moves trash bags full of flood-damaged items to a debris pile while cleaning up from flood damage in the River Plantation neighborhood on Monday, May 6, 2024 in Conroe, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

The water line goes almost to the top of the front door of a home in the River Plantation neighborhood on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Conroe, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Yanira Diaz stands in her muddy living room as she begins the clean up process of her flood-damaged home in the River Plantation neighborhood on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Conroe, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott updates the state's ongoing response to severe weather and flooding conditions that impacted East Texas communities during a press conference, Monday, May 6, 2024, at Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management Warehouse in Conroe, Texas. Abbott urged people whose properties are damaged to report to the state government as soon as they can. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, second from left, holds a press conference with local officials to update the state's ongoing response to severe weather and flooding conditions that impacted East Texas communities during a press conference, Monday, May 6, 2024, at Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management Warehouse in Conroe, Texas. Abbott urged people whose properties are damaged to report to the state government as soon as they can. From left are: Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough and Liberty County Judge Jay Knight. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Anthony Dusauzay shovels debris in the laundry room of his flood-damaged home as he works to clean it up in the River Plantation neighborhood on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Conroe, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Rob Gaudet, founder of Cajun Navy Ground Force, sets up a tent for the next day's distribution at Santa Fe Community Center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Cleveland, Texas. Floodwaters in the Houston area are starting to recede, allowing residents to begin returning to their homes and assess damages after days of heavy rainfall. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Cesar Villanueva stands in the doorway of his sister's salon, Arita's Hair Salon & Spa, while he tries to dry it out after days of heavy rainfall caused flooding in the area, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Plum Grove, Texas. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Yovany Dominguez wipes the face of his daughter Gracie, as they eat food from the Salvation Army in the parking lot of Santa Fe Community Center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Plum Grove, Texas. Dominguez drove down from Dallas to help his mother, who was stuck in her home with floodwater up to her waist from the recent days of heavy rainfall. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A heron stands as water flows over N. Houston Road, making the road impassible on Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Humble, Texas. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Dorothy and Earl Blevins' temporary home sits off its foundation after it was moved by flooded water and into the new home they are building on property once owned by Dorothy's mother on Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Spendora, Texas. "We've never flooded like this," said Dorothy. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Clouds amass over power lines follow days of storms on Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Humble, Texas. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Dorothy Blevins dries out photos from her home after it was flooded by the East Branch San Jacinto River on Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Spendora, Texas. "These mean the most to me, everything else can be replaced," she said. Two weeks ago, her husband, Earl, closed their storage rental and put everything in their new home. "The timing of this is terrible," he said. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A mobile home in an unincorporated area in east Harris County near Houston on Sunday morning, May 5, 2024, is surrounded by flood waters caused by the nearby San Jacinto River, which overflowed due to heavy rainfall earlier this week. (AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi)

A mobile home in an unincorporated area in east Harris County near Houston on Sunday morning, May 5, 2024, is surrounded by flood waters caused by the nearby San Jacinto River, which overflowed due to heavy rainfall earlier this week. (AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi)

A mailbox is partially submerged on a flooded street in an unincorporated area in east Harris County near Houston on Sunday morning, May 5, 2024. The nearby San Jacinto River, overflowing due to heavy rainfall earlier this week, caused the flood waters. (AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi)

Overflow from the swollen Trinity River fills James Smart's backyard as wades the floodwaters to make preparations to his chicken coup to ensure the safety of his livestock, Sunday, May 5, 2024, near Liberty, Texas. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Alvaro Trevino pulls a canoe with Jennifer Tellez and Ailyn, 8, after they checked on their home on Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Spendora, Texas. The family has lived on the property in a rental trailer for two years. "It's really bad," said Tellez, who says they stayed dry during the most recent flooding in February. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

SEATTLE (AP) — Ryan Gauld scored on a penalty kick in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, and the Vancouver Whitecaps salvaged a 1-1 draw with the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.

Gauld’s tying goal came following a lengthy video review where referee Victor Rivas and video official Pierre-Luc Lauziere determined Seattle defender Nouhou committed a handball inside the penalty area in the 90th minute.

Gauld sent Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei the wrong direction with his left-footed shot for his fourth goal of the season. Gauld also scored against the Sounders in a 2-0 win last month.

Seattle’s Jordan Morris scored his second of the year in the opening minutes of the match but the Sounders will feel it was a harsh penalty decision that cost them the chance at three points. Seattle was trying to complete a six-point week and pick up wins over its two Cascadia rivals after winning in Portland last weekend.

Instead, the Sounders remain with just one victory at home so far this season.

The Sounders nearly picked up a late winner as designated player Pedro de la Vega had a shot hit the post in the final seconds of the match. De la Vega entered in the 76th minute for his first appearance since March 2 when suffered a hamstring injury against Austin FC. He also had a header hit the crossbar in the 82nd minute.

Morris’ goal came off a scramble in the penalty area in the ninth minute. Alex Roldan’s initial shot was saved by Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka, but was pushed right toward Morris and his left-footed shot found net. His only other goal this season came on April 6 against Montreal.

After losing its last two league matches, both on the road, the Whitecaps earned a point with the late draw. But Vancouver has not won since beating Seattle on April 20 and scored just two goals in its last five MLS games.

While Vancouver gets to go home this week, it doesn’t get much easier. After a midweek home game against Calvary FC in the Canadian Championship quarterfinals, the Whitecaps host Lionel Messi and Eastern Conference-leading Inter Miami next Saturday.

AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer

Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris, right, and Vancouver Whitecaps defender Javain Brown pursue the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Vancouver Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini argues with an official as midfielder Ryan Gauld lies on the ground during the first half of the team's MLS soccer match against the Seattle Sounders, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Vancouver Whitecaps defender Tristan Blackmon blocks a shot from Seattle Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas (18) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Raposo reacts to an official calling possession for the Seattle Sounders during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Vancouver Whitecaps defender Javain Brown, top, collides with Seattle Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák while going up for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Vancouver Whitecaps defender Javain Brown, top, collides with Seattle Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák while going up for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris, right, reacts with midfielder Albert Rusnák, center, after scoring against the Vancouver Whitecaps during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris reacts after scoring against the Vancouver Whitecaps during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)