Brazos River continuing to creep toward homes in Richmond
FORT BEND COUNTY (KTRK) -- Some residents in Fort Bend County are riding the flood out despite mandatory evacuations being in place.
Eyewitness News viewer Maria Valdez spoke with us via Skype from her home in the flooded Rio Vista community off Highway 90 and FM 359.
"This Brazos River is our back yard. And now it's almost our back porch," Valdez said.
Valdez and other homeowners in her section of the neighborhood are staying put.
"Because it's slow-rising, I don't know if that's a little bit of false security but because it's slow rising we'll be able to see it coming and then move quickly," she said.
She says she fears what might happen if more rain comes before the water has a chance to go down.
For a whole lot of families, staying put is not an option.
"The baby spiked a fever and I thought if anything was to happen, it would be better to be out of the water than in the water," Melinda Gendotti said.
She and her young children were evacuated to the Red Cross shelter at First Baptist Church of Richmond.
"We haven't been able to see nothing," Jaine Vega said through tears. "We don't know what we're gonna go home to."
To give you an idea of much the water has gone up, we were at Clay Park Monday. We shot video standing on the playground. When we returned Thursday, the same spot was at least waist-deep. Several homes around it are also under water.
"Some are staying. They won't leave. So we're taking them to the grocery store, back and forth to dry land," Wyatt Sebesta said.
Sebesta and his friends have lost count of how many times they've taken his boat back and forth. The folks in this neighborhood expect more water, and that it'll be around for a while. Who knows what'll be left behind.
