Monday update:
Last week’s record flooding in Washington County has claimed a fifth life.
Brenham police report a 16 year old helping clear storm debris on Monday was struck and killed by a falling tree limb.
According to Brenham PD’s public information officer Angela Hahn, the young man was part of a group from a local church helping clear up storm damage. The limb had been suspended on telephone wires and fell as the young man was helping remove debris. He was transported to Scott and White where he passed away.
Saturday update from the Associated Press:
Texas authorities now say four people have died in flooding and two remain missing as torrential rains have moved on but left behind swollen rivers that have overrun some communities.
Washington County Judge John Brieden said the bodies of two missing motorists were found on Saturday in separate parts of the rural county located between Austin and Houston.
The body of one person was found Saturday afternoon in a submerged vehicle. The other body was found Saturday morning downstream from where his overturned truck had been located earlier.
Two other deaths in the county had previously been announced by officials.
Lisa Block, an emergency services spokeswoman in Travis County says authorities will continue searching on Sunday for two missing people in the Austin area.
Original story:
Two people have died and a third is missing following record rainfall in Washington County.
Sheriff Otto Hanak says one person was trapped by high water inside their mobile home off Highway 105 near Washington.
A second person was in a vehicle was swept off a bridge on Prairie Hill Road, which is north of Brenham off FM 50. Hanak says the driver’s body was recovered Friday morning about 75 yards downstream from the bridge.
The missing person was driving a vehicle that became stranded due to high water along 105 near Meyersville Road east of Brenham.
Hanak says he’s lost count of the number of high water rescues following 17 to 22 inches of rain. He is among law enforcement officials in multiple counties hit by historical flooding telling motorists, especially sightseers, to stay off the roads.
No names have been released.
Click below for comments from Otto Hanak, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver: