KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |East Texans fear more floods

East Texans fear more floods

By Bob Hallmark - bio | email

LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) - With so much rain, swollen streams and lakes are leaving their banks across East Texas.

East Texans are already feeling the effects of recent heavy rains. Near White Oak, River Road remains closed, flooded in several places. As lakes and streams continue to swell out of their banks some East Texans are worried about more flooding on the way.

"During Katrina we got a lot of wind and rain but we didn't get near as much rain as what we've been getting here," said Longview homeowner Keith Kelly.

High water on Lake O The Pines caused postponement of a weekend sailboat regatta. The U.S. Army corps of engineers project the lake to rise by another five feet, putting marinas in jeopardy. FM 2087 was closed after being swamped.

"Our house actually backs up to a creek and we're worried about it as well," said Kelly.

Small streams and ponds continue to fill up, leaving some to worry if anyplace is safe from flooding.  

"I'm terrified the water level already with all the rain we've had is already going over the banks we live close to a creek," said says Longview resident Debbie Jackson. "It's not far from us less than a mile."

The Sabine River in some areas has reached 33 feet. Flood stage is 25 feet.

"This is pretty bad," Kelly said. "I keep dumping inches and inches and inches of rain out of my rain gauge about every other day."

Longview alone has received 9.5 inches of rainfall since October 1st.

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