Emergency officials are bracing for the worst as Tropical Storm Bill continues to wreak havoc on some of the state’s eastern counties.
The ground in parts of Victoria, Jackson, Goliad, and Calhoun Counties near Matagorda Island is still saturated from the Memorial Day floods. Sgt. Jason Reyes with the Department of Public Safety says that’s a real concern.
“So this is going to make for these low-lying areas, the creeks and the low rivers to rise once again. So we just want to make sure the public is cautious of that," Reyes warned.
The State opened its emergency management command center in Austin and is closely monitoring the storm and the impact of the weather on a statewide basis.
Back along the coastal plains, Sgt. Reyes and his men are assisting local emergency responders in smaller counties, providing them extra manpower and equipment, like the use of helicopters and swift water rescue boats.
“We’re seeing a constant rain and high winds right now and later this evening a downpour of rain maybe from 6- 12 inches is what we are expecting," Reyes explained.
Reyes says for drivers, as well as homeowners watching an encroaching waterline, it’s important to know about a warning or an evacuation order. But it’s even better if they follow the advice that comes with those warnings.
He says Tropical Storm Bill is a broad storm, so the DPS’s Emergency Management division is closely monitoring its impact throughout the State.