4 killed and hundreds saved floods in southern Texas and Mexico

At least four people died and hundreds of others were saved during floods in southern Texas and Mexico after more than 20 inches of rain fell near the border on Thursday and Friday.

Three deaths were confirmed in a declaration of local disaster by a county judge of Hidalgo, about 150 miles southwest of Corpus Christi. The identities of those who died were not immediately known, officials said.

A fourth person drowned in Reynosa, a city of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, which borders the county of Hidalgo, said state officials.

Certain parts of the county of Hidalgo have obtained 14 inches of rain, which caused “significant material damage,” said county officials. The rain in southern Texas, worth approximately one semester in two days, had disappeared by Friday evening.

Managers of the neighboring city of Harlingen, who recorded 21 inches of rain, said on Friday that the emergency workers had rescued more than 200 residents and that hundreds of others were waiting for rescue.

In Tamaulipas, people were picked up by boats, saved from roofs and transported in size waters, according to photographs of the State government and the state spokesperson for public security. Large buses were completely overwhelmed in water.

“Lots of rain fell in a few hours,” said spokeswoman Blanca Zumaya Escobedo. She added that the most affected tamaulipas are the cities of Reynosa and Rio Bravo.

The inhabitants of Primera, Texas, a city just northwest of Harlingen, are used to preparing for bad weather events, said Victor, a resident. South Texas has experienced several mass flooding events in recent years.

“Seeing the water brought all these emotions, the anxiety, the formidable that your house would be underwater again,” said Victor, who refused to provide his family name. “It’s just a feeling that you can’t shake.”

Over the next few days, the rains had to move northeast to Mississippi and Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service.

John Yoon Contributed reports.