Houston Tax Day Flood
This April will mark the two year anniversary of the Tax Day Flood that produced historic flooding throughout the Greater Houston area. The storm system began with thunderstorms on the evening of April 17, and by the morning of the 18th, the storm was dumping rain at a rate of four inches-per-hour. Rain inundated the region for four days with some areas receiving over 17 inches.
Flood Impact
The Tax Day Flood produced flooding which forced hundreds of families to abandon their homes and caused water damage affecting nearly every corner of the Greater Houston Area.
- Over 700 homes and apartments received flood damage.
- Emergency response teams conducted over 450 water rescue operations.
- The storm was responsible for the deaths of eight people.
- Water forced the closing of numerous roads for several weeks
Criticism of official response to the storm forced Mayor Sylvester Turner, just month into the job, to publicly apologize to residents who attended community meetings to voice concerns.
Houston Area Flood History
Severe weather and storms, each one unique, that cause flooding are a part of life in the Houston and Gulf Coast areas. The 2016 Houston Tax Day Flood has been estimated to have produced rain totals that exceeded the 10,000-year levels and was an extraordinary event that Southeast Texas will remember for years.
Southeast Texas has suffered from severe flooding several times in the past decade including Tropical Storm Allison in June of 2001, the Memorial day flood in 2015, the Tax Day Flood in 2016, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Flooding from these storms has impacted nearly every neighborhood in the Greater Houston area and as the city continues to expand, adding more buildings, parking lots, and roads, continued flooding from heavy rain is imminent.
Asset Protection
The Tax Day Flood and more recently Hurricane Harvey which dropped 24 inches of rain in 24 hours, leaving a third of the city under water and displacing 39,000 people, demonstrates the necessity of flood insurance for residents of the Greater Houston area. A few years ago realtors would have said flood insurance was necessary only for specific areas, but the consensus today is just the opposite.
Houston Insurance Companies offer flood insurance for homeowners and renters at rates that are surprisingly affordable. Flood insurance provides different coverage than homeowners insurance, and you should not assume that you have coverage. The cost of not protecting your home and possessions can be devastating, and all indications are that Houston and Southeast Texas will flood again.
To learn more about this or anything else contact us today.
