Mandatory Evacuation Issued for Rosenberg, Texas, As Floods Turn Deadly
At least four people have been confirmed dead as a result of the flood.
— -- A second Texas city will force residents to evacuate their homes on Sunday, as rising flood waters from the Brazos River turned deadly over the weekend.
Surging water levels prompted officials in Rosenberg, a town in Fort Bend county, approximately 35 miles south of Houston, to issue a mandatory evacuation starting today at 2 p.m. local time. According to the 2010 census, 31,676 people live in the area.
Mayor Cynthia McConathy signed orders declaring a state of disaster for the city of Rosenberg on Saturday, according to the evacuation notice on the city's website.
A shelter is being set up for residents on the grounds of a church located in the nearby city of Richmond, Texas.
State authorities announced Saturday evening that four people had died in the flooding, which stemmed from heavy rains that started on Thursday, and have persisted throughout Memorial Day weekend.
Another town in the state, Simonton, which is home to fewer than 1,000 people, also ordered a mandatory evacuation on Saturday at 10 a.m. due to the heavy rains. The Brazos River was expected to reach record levels and crest at more than 53 feet by Tuesday, officials said, who predicted the flooding would break records.
On Saturday, NASA astronaut Terry Virts tweeted a photo of the Brazos River from space.