HOUSTON — More than a foot of rain had fallen by Monday evening in parts of Houston, submerging scores of subdivisions and several major interstate highways, forcing the closure of schools and knocking out power to thousands of residents who were urged to shelter in place.
Sylvester Turner, mayor of the nation’s fourth-largest city, told residents to stay home to fend off a weather system he called “stubborn.” More rain was projected over the next two to three days, although heavy downpours had subsided and only an additional half-inch was expected through Monday night.
Rain gauges in parts of Harris County, which includes most of Houston, showed water levels of more than 16 inches since late Sunday night, with slightly smaller amounts elsewhere in southeast Texas as bayous and creeks overflowed their banks.
Authorities were investigating two fatalities to determine whether they were weather-related. One person, believed to be a contractor with the city’s airport system, was found in a submerged vehicle not far from the airport. A second person, a truck driver, was found dead in the cab of his rig after encountering high water.
Several shelters were established for people forced from their homes. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, the county’s chief administrator, said more than 1,000 homes were flooded, many for the first time.
Dozens of Houston subdivisions flooded. At least two interstates — I-10, the main east-west freeway, and I-45, the major north-south freeway — were under water near downtown.
