The government wants to buy their flood
HOUSTON (AP) — After the floodwaters earlier this month just about swallowed two of the six homes that 60-year-old Tom Madigan owns on the San Jacinto River, he didn’t think twice about whether to fix them. He hired people to help, and they got to work stripping the walls, pulling up flooring and throwing out water-logged furniture.
What Madigan didn’t know: The Harris County Flood Control District wants to buy his properties as part of an effort to get people out of dangerously flood-prone areas.
Back-to-back storms drenched southeast Texas in late April and early May, causing flash flooding and pushing rivers out of their banks and into low-lying neighborhoods. Officials across the region urged people in vulnerable areas to evacuate.
Like Madigan’s, some places that were inundated along the San Jacinto in Harris County have flooded repeatedly. And for nearly 30 years, the flood control district has been trying to clear out homes around the river by paying property owners to move, then returning the lots to nature.
Related articles
Mohammad Mokhber: Who is Iran’s acting president?
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s first Vice President Mohammad Mokhber was appointed as act2024-05-21Pioneering observation satellite ERS
By Jonathan Amos for BBC NewsESR-2. Photo: ESA2024-05-21UK economy fell into recession as people cut spending
By Dearbail Jordan & Faisal Islam for BBC NewsShoppers carry their shopping bags along Oxford St2024-05-21Ethnic army seizes city on Myanmar
An ethnic army captured a town near the Chinese border, less than a week after officials met in Myan2024-05-21With Djokovic awaiting the winner, Murray trails Hanfmann at rain
GENEVA (AP) — Needing a win to face Novak Djokovic next at the Geneva Open, Andy Murray was saved by2024-05-21Scrapping NZ battery project 'short
The Lake Onslow battery project was tipped to cost $16 billion. Photo:2024-05-21
atest comment