Rising water in San Jacinto County prompts voluntary evacuations
The evacuation comes after the San Jacinto County Judge issued a disaster declaration Wednesday.
SAN JACINTO COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Residents in the Coldspring and Camilla communities were asked to voluntarily evacuate Wednesday as the Trinity River rises and officials opened Lake Livingston's dam gates.
The San Jacinto County Office of Emergency Management encouraged anyone living near Camilla Twin Harbors or Cedar Valley to leave the area.
As of 8 p.m., the Trinity River Authority said it was releasing 80,000 cubic feet of water per second from the at-capacity Lake Livingston.
Christopher Lake and Alexis Crawford, who've only lived in Camilla Twin Harbors for a few days, decided to pack up their camper and move it to drier land.
"Everything's replaceable, lives ain't. I'd rather get out safely with my old lady and seek higher ground," Lake said.
At about 6 p.m., water was already pooling in several yards. Parts of Richard Street were flooded, but passable.
The water wasn't deterring Donald Cook, who said he wasn't going to evacuate.
"I don't usually worry about it until it gets about halfway up my street," Cook said, adding that his home has flooded seven times in the last 20 years.
"I've done it so many times. We're fairly used to it. So, I may come down here to check a couple of times, but as long as (the water) stays down, like, right there, I'm happy with it," he said.
The voluntary evacuation order came after the San Jacinto County Judge issued a disaster declaration, usually used to receive federal financial help in cases of severe weather.
According to the declaration, the county has several highways inundated with water and 10 confirmed cases of flooded roadways.
If you need a place to stay, a shelter was opened Wednesday afternoon at 121 Live Oak St. in Coldspring.
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