Hurricane Dolly weakens, fears turn to flooding

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-24 11:08

BROWNSVILLE - Hurricane Dolly barreled into South Texas on Wednesday, lashing the coast with winds up to 100 mph and dumping heavy rain that flooded some low-lying areas but spared levees along the heavily populated Rio Grande Valley.

From left, Los Fresnos city workers Max Villanueva and Carlos Barbosa and Los Fresnos police officers Gilbert Rodriguez and Modesto Coronada struggle to remove debris clogging a storm drain during Hurricane Dolly, Wednesday, July 23, 2008, in Los Fresnos, Texas. [Agencies]

Authorities had feared the first hurricane to hit the US since last September could produce up to 20 inches of rain in some areas, possibly breaching levees in the heavily populated Rio Grande Valley. But shortly before its center came ashore, the Category 2 storm meandered 35 miles north of the border, veering away from the flood walls.

"We're not experiencing any issues with the levees right now," said Sally Spener, spokeswoman for the International Boundary and Water Commission. "The water is just not high enough. We are not experiencing flood conditions (on the Rio Grande)."

Although the system weakened to a Category 1 hurricane shortly after crossing the resort area of South Padre Island, officials cautioned that the danger had not passed. About 5,000 people went to public shelters in three Texas counties hit hardest by the storm.

More were expected as night fell and at least 53,000 customers were left without power.

"Hopefully people won't get stupid and go out and think the storm has passed," said Kevin Pagan, the manager of an emergency center for the three counties.

Most of the destruction from wind was on the island, where the hurricane knocked out power to thousands of homes, ripped off roofs and smashed windows.

Roads and yards were strewn with toppled trees, fences, power poles and streetlights. Business signs rolled around the streets like tumbleweeds. The causeway linking the island to the mainland was closed.

A 17-year-old boy fell from a seventh-story balcony, injuring his head, breaking his hip and fracturing his leg. The boy was being treated at an island fire station. It was not immediately known if the accident was directly caused by the storm.

As Dolly weakened Wednesday night, authorities turned to watch for flooding caused by the inches of rain being dumped across Texas and Mexico.

Between 5 and 12 inches of rain had fallen in Brownsville's Cameron County by Wednesday evening and another 3 to 7 inches was expected during the night, according to the National Weather Service. Estimates in Laguna Vista and Bayview reached 12 inches.

Small communities just north of Brownsville were hit by high winds and flooded with murky waters from the storm, including low-lying colonias, small villages of immigrants who live without sewer and water service. A family of eight had to be rescued by sheriff's deputies when floodwaters surrounded their home.

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