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oklahoma flooding 2015

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According to official reports, at least 17 people have been killed and dozens injured in Oklahoma and Texas following record rainfall over the weekend.

At least four deaths have been blamed on the storm in the Houston area. The storm led to major flooding and tornadoes sweeping across the southern part of America.

More heavy rains are expected over the next few days.

Parts of Houston – the US’s fourth most populous city – remain under water.

Thousands of cars have been abandoned on city streets and highways.

Scores of residents have been displaced and more than 1,000 homes have been destroyed.Texas flooding aftermath 2015

The number of people killed in Texas and Oklahoma is expected to rise as more bodies are discovered, officials say.

By May 26, most rivers in Houston were reported to have receded back within their banks.

The floodwaters affected virtually every part of the city, officials say, bringing some areas to a standstill.

Fire fighters rescued scores of stranded motorists and at least 2,500 vehicles were abandoned by drivers, officials said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a state of emergency in 24 counties in Texas.

The bad weather does not appear to be coming to an end – forecasts have predicted a 20% to 40% chance of thunderstorms for the rest of the week in Houston.

The effects of the massive storms were also felt near the Texas border in Mexico.

On May 25, at least 14 people – including an infant – were killed by a tornado that hit the northern Mexico border city of Acuna.

Mexican authorities said that more than 1,000 homes were damaged by the storm.

Texas often experiences long periods of drought, despite heavy rainfall at times.

As of the week of May 19, areas in central Texas were experiencing abnormal to severe levels of drought, with 795,851 residents affected, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Flooding from record-setting rains swept away hundreds of homes and left at least three people dead in Texas and Oklahoma.

Two people died in weather-related accidents in Oklahoma and a man died in San Marcos, Texas.

Parts of Texas saw up to 10 inches of rain over a 24-hour period, with more predicted across the region.

There were numerous rescues on May 24 after banks burst, and hundreds of homes were destroyed in central Texas.

Warnings and alerts stretch from Colorado through to Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and eastern Kansas.

One of the worst hit rivers was the Blanco in Texas.Texas flooding 2015

At one point it crested at 43ft – some 30ft above the designated flood stage and 7ft higher than the 1929 record.

A flash flood emergency – reserved for the most life-threatening situations – is in effect in the river basin area.

Some 1,000 people nearby were evacuated and parts of the Interstate 35 highway were flooded and closed.

San Marcos emergency management coordinator, Kenneth Bell, said the body of one man had been recovered but had no more details. Three more people are missing.

Kristi Wyatt, communications director for the town, said: “We have people on car tops and rooftops awaiting rescue. People in homes are going to higher levels.”

She said hundreds of people were now in evacuation centers and that floodwaters had washed away five police cars.

Several hundred houses were destroyed in the town of Wimberley.

A tornado hit Houston briefly on May 24, damaging buildings and injuring at least two people.

Warnings of more tornados have been issued for parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered at Lake Lewis, 50 miles north of Houston, which itself saw high winds bringing down trees and blowing out windows.

The National Weather Service says Oklahoma City already has a new monthly rainfall record for May – at 18.19 inches.

In Colorado, El Paso and Pueblo counties and the city of Sterling were badly affected.