HOUSTON (AP) — After the floodwaters earlier this month just about swallowed two of the six homes that 60-year-old Tom Madigan owns on the San Jacinto River, he didn’t think twice about whether to fix them. He hired people to help, and they got to work stripping the walls, pulling up flooring and throwing out water-logged furniture. What Madigan didn’t know: The Harris County Flood Control District wants to buy his properties as part of an effort to get people out of dangerously flood-prone areas. Back-to-back storms drenched southeast Texas in late April and early May, causing flash flooding and pushing rivers out of their banks and into low-lying neighborhoods. Officials across the region urged people in vulnerable areas to evacuate. Like Madigan’s, some places that were inundated along the San Jacinto in Harris County have flooded repeatedly. And for nearly 30 years, the flood control district has been trying to clear out homes around the river by paying property owners to move, then returning the lots to nature. |
Liverpool stays in the hunt for the Premier League title with 3Liverpool stays in the hunt for the Premier League title with 3Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan stuns in glittering black gown as she holds hands with co3 hospitalized after knife attack on party boat in New York City along Brooklyn waterfrontMeet Lama Rod: A queer, Black Buddhist who wants to free youMitchell Parker throws 7 scoreless innings as Nats blank Astros 6Will there be a 'superbloom' this year in California? Here's what to knowConservative Brazilians laud Elon Musk at rally in support of exElena Rybakina beats Marta Kostyuk 6Casey Mize throws 6 shutout innings for 1st win since 2021 as Tigers beat Twins 6