At Least We Don’t See Mud Like This! [VIDEO]

By Erin Baxter

The Texas Hill Country has its own set of natural disaster elements that could spring to life at any moment. The heavy rains in May and June set off a wake of devastation on the Blanco River and other nearby areas. As a matter of fact, parts of the Hill Country received more than 12 inches of rain in the build-up to floods that have devastated parts of Central Texas.

The town of Kendalia, in Kendall County, received 12.32 inches in the 24 hours between 7 a.m. on Saturday May 23 and 7 a.m. on Sunday May 24. Blanco saw 9.37 inches; Dripping Springs, 7.28 inches. There was major flash flooding on most rivers around the I35 corridor, New Braunfels, Comal, Cibolo, San Antonio, and Leon. Evacuations of the rivers and campgrounds were being announced in late May.

Also affected by the rare tropical weather patterns, are our fellow Americans on the West Coast. In the mid-summer months this year, Tehachapi, California mudslides were so widespread on Highway 58 that dozens of people were trapped, spent the night in their vehicles, and were completely immobile. KBAK and KBFX Eyewitness news stations said that Caltrans and California Highway Patrol were working diligently with heavy machinery to clear the eastbound side of the road.

The mud was feet deep in Tehachapi on WB 58. The news stations also said that “a large, fast-moving thunderstorm in eastern Kern County brought a sudden deluge of water that proved too much for the parched ground to absorb. The ensuing mudslides left significant portions of the highway underwater or under mud and littered with large debris. Dozens of vehicles, including semi-trucks were trapped. One large tanker truck tipped over, leaking an unknown white liquid.”

But, only a few days ago on October 15 – several drivers from the same area were stranded again, due to a similar tropical downpour resulting in severe mudslides and flooding. The news stations said that “drivers were stranded on Interstate 5 over the Grapevine and Highway 58 in the Mojave area Thursday night (October 15), and people remained stranded on 58 and southbound I-5. One driver estimated there were 200 drivers stuck on Hwy. 58.”

For the remainder of the year, we pray that the weather patterns turn back to mostly “normal” across the country, and especially that our Hill Country fall and winter months don’t make the news.