Parts of the Valley remain flooded weeks after historic storm

SANTA ROSA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Thursday will mark three weeks since the catastrophic flooding swept across parts of the Rio Grande Valley and there are still areas with homes surrounded by water.

On Wednesday afternoon, a search and rescue operation was underway near Santa Rosa where water levels are still high.

County officials say there is little they can do because this area used to be part of a lake.

Edmundo Lopez called for a welfare check on his loved ones after not hearing from them since a day before the flood.

"Everything is flooded and we can’t go inside," Lopez said. "I thought my niece was there because I haven’t heard anything from her. I was calling her and she isn’t answering, and the Red Cross was here and they helped me.”

First responders, like La Feria Fire Department Captain Jose Garcia, were able to give Lopez some good news.

“We were able to go inside, checked two homes and in the back and luckily there was nobody home," the captain said.

The fire department along with members of the Red Cross assisted in the operation. They needed to use boats to reach the home.

Nearby homes, roadways and businesses are also dealing with standing water. Lopez says this is unacceptable.

"Not at all, but what can we do? The one who controls everything is over there," Lopez said.

Cameron County Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator Rolando Casas says not much can be done to remove the flood water because the area used to be a lake.

“All of that area of the O’Cano Lake, as a name says it is a lake, and it is low-lying areas with road advancements and things like that of course," Casas said. "The roadways have gone a bit higher.”

Flooding in the area usually lasts for weeks due to oversaturation and homeowners need to wait it out until the water evaporates or gets absorbed.

Casas says dewatering can not be done since the standing water is private property.

He adds that community members in the area need to be prepared in case of bad weather and hopes more people use the state’s ISTAT tool to report damage.

Approximately 3,800 people from the area have reported damages to ISTAT.