Serious flooding in Texas

By Meg Wagner, Paul P. Murphy, Mike Hayes and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 2:12 a.m. ET, September 20, 2019
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2:12 a.m. ET, September 20, 2019

Our live coverage of the flooding in Texas has concluded, but you can read more about it here.

1:31 a.m. ET, September 20, 2019

407 high-water rescues conducted in Harris County

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has completed 992 weather-related calls for service, the office said in a tweet Thursday evening.

The calls included 407 high-water rescues, 22 major accidents, and 323 stranded vehicles

Ed Gonzalez, the Harris Country Sheriff, tweeted a photo of his team. "Couldn’t be prouder of my HCSO Texas family for their effort today," he wrote.

11:07 p.m. ET, September 19, 2019

Houston residents who use private wells should boil their water

Houston officials are advising residents with private drinking wells to boil their water after the heavy rains caused a wastewater spill on Thursday.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 100,000 gallons of wastewater had been released at Eastex Freeway and Parker Road.

Those who receive their water from the city are not impacted by the spill, said the city in a press release.

Anyone within a half mile from the spill site who uses a private drinking water supply well or private water should only use water that has been distilled or boiled.

The release also said those affected residents should have their water tested and disinfected before they stop boiling.

11:07 p.m. ET, September 19, 2019

Houston warns residents to stay off roads

A man tries to direct a school bus on a flooded road on September 19, 2019 in Houston, Texas.
A man tries to direct a school bus on a flooded road on September 19, 2019 in Houston, Texas. Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is advising people to be careful and stay off the roads tonight.

In a press conference Thursday night, Turner said the water is receding and the storm has passed, but it will take time for the roads to dry out. There has been no rain reported in the last hour, he said.

Emergency crews are working overnight to observe for structural damage due to the flooding, and officials will continue to focus on clearing the freeways and streets.

9:51 p.m. ET, September 19, 2019

Photos show flooding at Houston's Buffalo Bayou Park

From CNN's Amanda Jackson

Yamile Arango
Yamile Arango

Yamile Arango, a Colombian journalist living in Texas, shared images showing extensive flooding at Houston's Buffalo Bayou Park.

The park, which is a popular destination for bike riders and dog walkers, occupies 160 acres in the heart of Houston.

See more photos of the flooded park below:

Yamile Arango
Yamile Arango

Yamile Arango
Yamile Arango

9:31 p.m. ET, September 19, 2019

Arrivals to resume at Houston's George Bush airport Friday morning

From CNN's Jackie Castillo

Flight operations for arrivals will resume in at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Friday, according to a tweet from IAH Friday night.

Arrivals will resume at 4 a.m. CT.

IAH provided more details on which roads to use when traveling to the airport and which terminal checkpoints will be open in the following tweet:

8:45 p.m. ET, September 19, 2019

Number of high-water rescues rise to 369 in Harris County

From CNN's Hollie Silverman

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has completed 369 high-water rescues as of 8:30 p.m. ET Thursday, according to a tweet Thursday evening

Dispatchers have fielded 866 weather-related calls so far, the tweet said.

8:06 p.m. ET, September 19, 2019

Man dies after being pulled from van submerged in floodwaters

From CNN's Hollie Silverman

A man who was pulled from a van submerged in Houston floodwaters has died after being transported to a hospital, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted Thursday evening.

The man, who was in his 40s or 50s, was one of at least three people removed from the van. 

The driver of the van was traveling westbound on Will Clayton Parkway and approached Eastex Freeway, where the water was about 8 feet high, Gonzalez said. The driver briefly paused before accelerating into the water, the sheriff said. 

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is still on scene attempting to locate others, Gonzalez said.

7:23 p.m. ET, September 19, 2019

Jefferson County has received 43 inches of rain

Texas' Jefferson County has received 43.15 inches of rain, making Imelda the 7th wettest tropical cyclone in US history, according to the National Weather Service in Houston.

The service warned the totals are preliminary.

If the total stands, Imelda would also be the 4th wettest tropical cyclone to hit Texas, the weather service tweeted.