Town Of Brenham Reeling After Record-Shattering Rainfall Amounts Prompt Widespread Flooding

BRENHAM, TX -- Two people have been confirmed dead and a man remains missing following overnight flooding that dumped up to 30 inches on the normally tranquil town of Brenham, best known as the heart of the bluebonnet region of Central Texas and headquarter of ice cream maker Blue Bell Creameries.

The Bryan-College Station Eagle newspaper has been providing continual updates on the aftermath of the catastrophic flooding in Brenham, a city of nearly 16,000 residents located some 70 miles northwest of Houston.

The tally so far is grim: Two people have died, according to County Judge John Brieden, and another man is missing. By daybreak Friday, officials had found the missing man's truck -- found overturned about 7 miles northeast of Brenham -- but no sign of missing 21-year-old, identified as Darren Mitchell.

Of the confirmed dead, one succumbed to a heart attack undoubtedly induced by the catastrophe. Unofficial rain totals countywide had some regions seeing 20 inches of rain, according to the county judge. Brieden also told the Bryan-College Station Eagle that some parts of the region had 30 inches of rain dumped on them.

Briden told the newspaper that emergency crews rescued nearly 50 people from flooded homes and vehicles througout the night. One man was rescued from a tractor submerged in flood waters amid a field, he noted. AT one point, nine boat crews were out at once plucking people out of high waters, he added.

Flood conditions occurred so intensely and suddently, some 40 schoolchildren were forced to spend Thursday night inside a school given impassable road conditions, the newspaper reported. Fortuitously, school officials had plenty of food and water at hand virtually stockpiled that had actually been intended for a Friday celebration.

As Brenham officials countinue to assess the damage from nature's fury, they urged residents to exercise common sense in terms of deciding whether or not to take to roadways again as more storms threatened the area.

"We want people to be safe and use their heads and not put our rescuers in danger," Brieden told the newspaper. "That cannot be emphasized enough."

Read the full story at Bryan-College Station Eagle >>