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The Latest: Threat of more floods with rain, dam releases
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The Llano River overflows its banks into neighboring property as the swollen river flows between the washed out Ranch Road 2900 bridge, background, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, in Kingsland, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) lessThe Llano River overflows its banks into neighboring property as the swollen river flows between the washed out Ranch Road 2900 bridge, background, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, in Kingsland, Texas. (Jay … more
Photo: Jay Janner, AP
The Llano River overflows its banks into neighboring property as the swollen river flows between the washed out Ranch Road 2900 bridge, background, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, in Kingsland, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) less
The Llano River overflows its banks into neighboring property as the swollen river flows between the washed out Ranch Road 2900 bridge, background, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, in Kingsland, Texas. (Jay … more
Photo: Jay Janner, AP
LLANO, Texas (AP) — The Latest on flooding in Texas (all times local):
5 p.m.
Officials say there’s a continued threat for flooding in Central Texas as more rain is expected to fall on the already saturated area and dams along the swollen Colorado River release some of the flood downstream.
National Weather Service forecaster Jason Runyen said Wednesday that the area was expected to get an additional 1 to 2 inches (3 to 5 centimeters) of rain Thursday and Friday, with some isolated areas getting as much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain.
The Lower Colorado River Authority has been opening flood gates along the river since Monday. Four floodgates are open on Mansfield Dam at Lake Travis, located northwest of Austin. The river authority says they’ll likely need to open four more by midday Thursday for a total of eight — a record number open at the dam.
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12:30 a.m.
Authorities say a woman’s body has been found at a low-water crossing in a Central Texas city inundated by floodwaters from the Llano River.
Officials say the body was recovered in Llano Tuesday night. Llano County Judge Mary Cunningham says the woman’s family has been notified but her that name isn’t yet being released.
Water levels on the Llano River are now dropping but had soared above flood stage this week, destroying a bridge, forcing evacuations and leading to water rescues.
Earlier Tuesday, another body was found in Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Llano. The lake is situated where the Llano River flows into the Colorado River. That body has not been identified.
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6:50 a.m.
Water levels are quickly dropping on a Texas river that soared above flood stage this week, destroying a bridge, forcing evacuations and leading to multiple water rescues.
The Llano River was just below 15 feet (4.5 meters) on Wednesday morning after cresting 24 hours earlier at almost 40 feet (12 meters). Initially, forecasters expected the river to rise to near-record levels Thursday, but modified their forecast to show the river dropping below flood stage instead.
Emergency managers in Llano County, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of Austin, welcome the forecast but say it’s not yet safe for residents to return home.
In Kingsland, video captured a bridge crumbling as it was overrun by floodwaters, while a body was found in nearby Lake Lyndon B. Johnson.