Kingwood residents continue to clear out homes from heavy rain
KINGWOOD, Texas (KTRK) -- With more predicted flooding rain on the horizon through Saturday night, Kingwood residents whose homes took on water during Tuesday's flood continued cleaning out water-logged furnishings and possessions.
Among them was Sonya Davis, who's lived in her home for eight years.
"This house, my neighbors' houses have never flooded before," she said.
Houston police estimated as many as 400 homes flooded two days ago. But Houston City Council member Dave Martin, who represents Kingwood, doesn't believe the heavy rainfall was the only reason.
Martin and Harris County Flood Control engineers visited the area early Thursday morning just behind the Elm Grove subdivision.
"When you see a drainage ditch and a detention facility and a concrete roadblock that diverts the water from the ditch and the detention, it drained the area into people's backyards," he said.
Martin said a development project is just across the county line in Montgomery County.
Martin said he encouraged flooded homeowners to file a class action lawsuit against the project.
"The conclusion I reached is that the development and construction played a large part in the flooding," said Martin.
Martin also said drain cameras were used to inspect the storm sewers, though he said no blockages were detected.
"They're as clear as day," he said. "There was no sediment in the drainage systems. It was the diversion of water supposed to go through a flood control ditch that did this."
An attorney has been in contact with the homeowners. A town hall meeting is planned for flooded residents and a law firm on Saturday, May 11, if weather permits.
