Houston holdouts urged to leave flooded homes

A cluster of communities totaling up to 20,000 homes were told they would not dry out for 10 to 15 days, because nearby reservoirs — overtaxed by historic rainfall — must release some of the collected water.

Engineers have been allowing the Addicks and Barker reservoirs to drain to ease pressure on dams not designed for the 30 to 40 inches (102 centimeters) of rain much of the region has received.

“We completely exhausted our storage capacity in the dams,” said Edmond Russo of the US Army Corps of Engineers. “One more rain event and it would spill over.”

Residents in the affected communities were told to head to shelters, because prolonged standing water — even at shallow depths — could structurally weaken their homes.

“You have water currently in your home, I’m going to encourage you in the strongest of terms to leave,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference.

Officials said most people had already left, but some remained in the upper levels of their homes — straining emergency officials who have to maintain services to them, including providing them with water.

The mayor threatened to impose a mandatory evacuation if not enough of the remaining residents voluntarily left.

“I simply do not feel comfortable with you remaining in your homes that have water,” Turner said, urging residents to evacuate while there is daylight.