Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo says mandatory evacuation lifted for residents in areas affected by flooding

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Southeast Texas is finally drying out after a week of storms and flooding.

Harris County has lifted all evacuation orders for people who live along the San Jacinto River. This is after officials said more than 200 people and hundreds of pets were rescued over the weekend.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said the severe weather is behind us. Now, it’s time to shift attention to cleaning up the neighborhoods impacted by flooding.

County officials said water levels are dropping quickly along the east and west forks of the San Jacinto River.

Hidalgo said most roads are passable at this point. However, there are a few spots that may have high water through Tuesday or Wednesday.

Moving forward, anyone impacted by flooding should call 211. The United Way is fielding those phone calls.

They can connect folks with food and organizations that will clean out flooded homes to make them livable in the short term.

The county judge said more resources will become available in the coming days, weeks, and months. That includes low interest loans to help people rebuild.

Also, hidalgo also said she’s heading to Washington D.C on Tuesday to advocate for money to be made available for a buyout program to purchase properties that are prone to flooding along the San Jacinto River. However, she said it may take six months or longer for that program to come together.

Floodwater closed some schools on Monday after days of heavy rains pummeled the Houston area and led to hundreds of rescues including people who were stranded on rooftops.

While the forecast dries out this week, high waters continue to close some roads and leave residents facing lengthy cleanups in neighborhoods where rising river levels led to weekend evacuation orders.

RELATED: Channelview residents rescued from floodwaters in east Harris County

School officials in Channelview canceled classes and said a survey of their employees found many of them had experienced circumstances that would prevent them from coming to work.

“These folks have suffered much, people,” Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace said Sunday during a Facebook livestream as he rode a boat through a rural flooded neighborhood. Partially submerged cars and street signs peeked above the water around him.

Areas near Lake Livingston, received upwards of 23 inches of rain over the past week, National Weather Service meteorologist Jimmy Fowler said.

RELATED: Kingwood-area residents spend day assessing flood-damaged homes

Since last week, storms have forced numerous high-water rescues in the Houston area, including some from the rooftops of flooded homes.

Greg Moss, 68, stayed put in his recreational vehicle on Sunday after leaving his home in Channelview. A day earlier, he packed up many of his belongings and left before the road to his home flooded.

“I would be stuck for four days,” Moss said. “So now at least I can go get something to eat.”

Moss moved his belongings and vehicle to a neighbor’s home, where he planned to stay until the waters receded. The floodwaters had already gone down by a couple of feet and he wasn’t worried his home would flood because it’s located on higher ground, Moss said Sunday.

If your home has been affected by severe flooding, the Harris County Office of Emergency Management has a number you can call to get debris picked up.

The number is 713-274-3880. You can also email homeflooding@harriscountytx.gov. 

If you are getting debris picked up at your home, the county asks that you separate it into six different categories – normal household trash, vegetative debris, construction and demolition debris, appliance and white goods, electronics and household chemical waste. 

You can see what falls into each category in the post below. Also, make sure not to stack or lean debris that would make removal difficult. And don’t have debris between the sidewalk and your house.