iStock/Thinkstock(MARBLE FALLS, Texas) — Massive floods swept through Central Texas on Tuesday, and rushing waters are expected to rise overnight and into Wednesday morning.
But despite flood operations in several counties already being in place in anticipation of more swift and high waters, the damage, it seems, has already begun.
Burnet County Sheriff’s Office Captain Tom Dillard reported an unidentified body that was found in the Colorado River but could not provide more information.
Across the Colorado River, the Llano River experienced major historic flooding, with waters rising to just under 40 feet on Tuesday morning. The catastrophic waters rose so high, in fact, that they caused a traffic bridge to collapse.
Llano County emergency management coordinator Ron Anderson reported roughly 105 people being evacuated on Tuesday.
The Llano County Office of Emergency Management is warning residents of hazardous conditions, especially on the roads, and officials told residents to stay off the road if they could.
“One inch of rain can produce a flooded roadway within minutes,” Ron Anderson, Llano County emergency management coordinator, told ABC News affiliate KVUE in Austin. “Any rain that falls right now, it’s pretty much running off into the creeks, streams, roadways, causing flash flooding and river flooding.”
As flash flooding can occur instantly, Anderson said their biggest concern is people traveling around road barriers.
“People can be swept off the road, out of their cars, or just people standing by trying to sightsee can often find themselves in trouble a lot faster than they imagine that they would.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the State Operations Center to be ready to respond to severe weather and flooding on Tuesday morning.
“When severe weather strikes, Texas will ensure our responders and local officials have what they need to respond and protect those in harm’s way,” Abbott said in a statement.
He added, “I also urge all Texans to take their safety into their own hands by closely monitoring changing weather conditions and heeding warnings from local officials.”
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