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U.S. state of Texas reeling under rainstorm-triggered flooding

Xinhua, April 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

The U.S. state of Texas faced an unprecedented flooding emergency on Monday as rain storms were still drenching its southwest areas, flooding waterways at rapid rates, causing power outage, and leaving residents trapped in their own homes and vehicles.

Flash flood warnings were issued in about 25 Texas counties, including the Houston and Austin areas beginning Sunday, impacting roughly 4 million people, local TV ABC13 reported.

No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.

Local government officials have reported up to 150 cases of flood-related emergencies in the greater Houston area alone. Local residents were told to stay indoors in what officials said were extremely dangerous conditions.

By Monday, when waters from seven of bayous in Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, rose above their banks, schools and government offices were closed, inbound and outbound flights were cancelled, portions of a major interstate and roads were shut down, and bus and train service were suspended.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called for state-of-emergency measures.

Turner said at a press conference Monday morning that the current storms were also creating flood conditions in areas that had not previously experienced them.

The city of Houston called the flooding "a life-threatening situation" on its website.

Turner said that nine hospitals in the city had closed their doors to additional patients and three apartment buildings had been evacuated, their residents taking shelter in a mall.

Rainfall of 10 to 20 inches have bean measured in southeast Texas to the northwest of Houston as of 6:30 a.m. CDT, according to the Harris County Flood Control District.

Judge Ed Emmett of Harris County, with Houston as the county seat, said that more than 1,000 homes in the county were flooded and more rescues were expected as water levels continued to rise.

And there were more than 100,000 homes and businesses in the southwest Texas region reporting power outage. Endit