HOUSTON (AP) — After the floodwaters earlier this month just about swallowed two of the six homes that 60-year-old Tom Madigan owns on the San Jacinto River, he didn’t think twice about whether to fix them. He hired people to help, and they got to work stripping the walls, pulling up flooring and throwing out water-logged furniture.
What Madigan didn’t know: The Harris County Flood Control District wants to buy his properties as part of an effort to get people out of dangerously flood-prone areas.
Back-to-back storms drenched southeast Texas in late April and early May, causing flash flooding and pushing rivers out of their banks and into low-lying neighborhoods. Officials across the region urged people in vulnerable areas to evacuate.
Like Madigan’s, some places that were inundated along the San Jacinto in Harris County have flooded repeatedly. And for nearly 30 years, the flood control district has been trying to clear out homes around the river by paying property owners to move, then returning the lots to nature.
Liverpool confirms Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp's replacement
More efforts needed to boost homegrown jet
What Message Did President Xi Send During His Visit to Jiujiang?
What Chinese modernization means for multinationals eyeing new opportunities in China?
The unstoppable duo of Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos
Online mini dramas making major headway
Maglev train with a speed of 600 kilometers per hour debuted at the World Manufacturing Conference
Trade relations between China, Australia shine
The fightback begins: Boss of London's Queen Mary University tells pro
Industrial upgrades crucial to propelling growth
Verona confirms Serie A status for another year after beating Salernitana
Technology adoption a key driver of greater global food production