© 2024 88.9 KETR
Public Radio for Northeast Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Rains Soak Northeast Texas, Flood Roads

Heavy rainfall brought flooding and mishap to Northeast Texas this weekend. As of late Saturday afternoon, all of the region remains under a Flash Flood Watch until at least 7 a.m. Sunday morning.

Many low-lying roadways in Northeast Texas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area have been flooded, according to multiple reports. Law enforcement officers around the region have been rescuing drivers stranded by flooded vehicles, according to multiple reports.

Along Interstate 30 in Royse City, the eastbound lanes’ south service road entrance has been closed due to high waters. Elsewhere in Rockwall County, FM 548 south of Royse City has been closed between Elm Grove Road and State Highway 276.

In Fannin County, south of Bonham, FM 271 has been closed along the area immediately east of State Highway 78. Between Telephone and Allen’s Chapel, long stretches of FM 2029 and FM 1396 have been closed due to high waters.

In Hunt County, flood warnings have been issued for the Cowleech Fork of the Sabine River at Greenville and the South Fork of the Sabine River at Quinlan. In Commerce, Saturday’s live music concert highlighting the annual Bois d’Arc Bash festival was canceled, although vendors did line much of the square during the morning and afternoon. Also in Commerce, the football game between Texas A&M University-Commerce and visiting Colorado State University-Pueblo remains set to kick off at 6 p.m. as scheduled.

Further east, a flood warning has been issued for the stretch of the Sulphur River that separates Red River County from Franklin County and Titus County.

Total rainfall accumulations for the weekend-long weather event remain unofficial, but much of the region has received more than a half-foot of rain since showers began falling on Friday, and some areas could have totals of greater than a foot by the time the rains leave the region early next week.

Late Friday night, high water along a railway bridge south of Farmersville resulted in a train derailment. Collin County Sheriff’s Office officers reported no injuries, but 11 cars of a freight train off the rails. The incident happened at about 11:30 p.m. near the intersection of County Road 558 and County Road 605, in a seasonal wetland area east of Lavon Lake.

A response team from Kansas City Southern Rail Road assisted public agencies at the crash site, officials said. There was no evidence of hazardous cargo spillage and the area would remain closed until cleanup efforts were complete, they said.

In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, U.S. Highway 75 was closed in Plano for more than an hour Friday night. Nine vehicles were stranded in about two feet of water near the President George Bush Turnpike, officials said. First responders rescued 14 people from inoperative vehicles, they said. In Arlington, a 24-year-old man died as a result of being swept away and then drowning in rushing flood waters. The incident happened in a residential area just west of the University of Texas at Arlington campus.

Mark Haslett has served at KETR since 2013. Since then, the station's news operation has enjoyed an increase in listener engagement and audience metrics, as well recognition in the Texas AP Broadcasters awards.