Historic rain event triggers widespread flooding in Valle De Oro, Texas

Dozens of families in Valle De Oro, located near the Canadian River, are grappling with an escalating flood crisis, following the river’s overflow due to a rare, high-magnitude rainfall event last week.

In the aftermath of a 1-in-500-year rain event, residents of Valle De Oro, Texas are facing a potential disaster. The significant rainfall event, which dumped 254 mm (10 inches) of rain in less than 12 hours south of San Jon, NM, has led to the Canadian River breaching its banks and causing widespread flooding.

The river, which stood at a height of 2.74 m (9 feet) on May 31 and continued to rise, resulted in the evacuation of several people and livestock.

Previous occurrences of the river going over its banks have been reported, but the severity of the current flooding is unprecedented. “Our neighbors have been here for over 40 years and they say this is about the first time they have seen this,” said J.J. Garcia, a resident of Valle De Oro.

Given the flood’s magnitude and with more rain in the forecast, a state of concern has gripped Valle De Oro residents. Anxiety is building over the potential impact on their homes and the land they inhabit. Current reports indicate that five or six houses have already been evacuated, along with cattle, with more evacuations potentially looming if the situation worsens.

Featured image credit: J.J. Garcia