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. |
Aaron Judge homers 1 pitch after Joe Boyle is called for a balk as Yanks top A's 7Xizang reports soaring exports of local agricultural specialties in Q1I flew from Scotland to Denmark for 24 hours for a family trip to LegolandTwins' Castro hits birthday homer, lifts Minnesota to 6No one is above the law. Supreme Court will decide if that includes Trump while he was presidentHamas releases video showing wellOfficials say up to 160 pilot whales beached on western Australian coast and at least 26 have diedContreras has 3 hits as Brewers take advantage of sloppy inning by Pirates in 3Electric cars and digital connectivity dominate at Beijing auto showElectric cars and digital connectivity dominate at Beijing auto show