Harris, Fort Bend counties call for evacuations amid flooding; death toll rises Shelters for evacuees open in Montgomery Country

A flooded home is seen at the corner of Rock Elm Lane and Kingbird Drive, Saturday, May 28, 2016, in Tomball. A flooded home is seen at the corner of Rock Elm Lane and Kingbird Drive, Saturday, May 28, 2016, in Tomball. Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 123 Caption Close Harris, Fort Bend counties call for evacuations amid flooding; death toll rises 1 / 123 Back to Gallery

Heavy rain late Friday caused Spring Creek and the San Jacinto River to swell, flooding both streets and homes in the area.

Harris County officials warned residents to avoid the area, and asked about 750 families who live in the Northwood Pines Subdivision and the Park at Northgate Apartments to voluntarily evacuate their homes by 2 p.m. Saturday and to stay out until late Sunday.

An additional 800 people were ordered to evacuate from the city of Simonton in Fort Bend County, where the rising Brazos River could cause flooding in the next few days.

The city of Rosenberg issued a mandatory evacuation at about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Mayor Cynthia McConathy also signed orders declaring a state of disaster for the city. The evacuations were in effect until 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Brazos River in nearby Richmond is predicted to hit major flood stage Sunday afternoon and crest at 53.5 feet Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Further west in Washington County, the death toll from the storms has climbed to four.

Washington County Judge John Brieden said the bodies of two missing motorists were found on Saturday in separate parts of the rural county.

The body of one person was found Saturday afternoon in a submerged vehicle. The other body was found Saturday morning downstream from where his overturned truck had been located earlier.

ROAD CLOSURES As of 5:30 p.m. Saturday Harris County: Highway 69 at San Jacinto, Northbound and Southbound FM2978, and SH0249. SH 6 in both directions closed from Clay to Park Row due to high water. Until further notice, TxDOT has suspended SH99 tolling both directions between I-45 & US59 in response to authorities' calls for evacuations. Montgomery County: Eastbound and Westbound FM0149, FM1485, FM2090 and FM2978

Two other deaths in the county had previously been announced by officials.

Lisa Block, an emergency services spokeswoman in Travis County says authorities will continue searching on Sunday for two missing people in the Austin area.

Francisco Sanchez, a spokesman for the Office of Emergency Management in Harris County, where Houston is located, says officials were monitoring the local bayou system as the area was "not out of the woods yet."

Spring Creek is expected late Saturday night to come within inches of topping the levee that runs between the Hardy Toll Road and I-45, potentially flooding homes.

READ MORE: Victim posted heartbreaking photo before he went missing in floods

Authorities also warned that residents living near the Addicks and Barker reservoirs need to be careful.

State Highway 6 was closed Saturday from Clay to Park Row and could remain shuttered through the middle of next week, said Francisco Sanchez, spokesman for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Students at a Tomball ISD school had to spend the night after getting stranded on campus because of flooding. Families at Decker Prairie Elementary were reunited at noon Saturday.

"We are grateful to all of our staff members who remained at the school to ensure the safety of our students, and we appreciate all of the support from the Decker Prairie parents and community," district spokeswoman Staci Stanfield said. "The safety and security of our students is always our first priority."

FORT BEND COUNTY:

Fort Bend County warned residents of possible record-setting flooding along the Brazos River that could happen on Tuesday, calling the event a "potential 100-year flood." Hundreds of homes face potential flooding, including those as far as 4 miles away, officials said.

A recorded 20 inches of rain fell north of the Brazos River, and water from upstream rivers is now flowing down causing flooding. The City of Simonton issued a mandatory evacuation order. The rainfall is expected to "obliterate" a record set in 1994. Residents are urged to use extreme caution.

"Some residents around in 1994 think they know what to expect when the river is at the same level (51.4 measured in Richmond), but they cannot account for the changes in the river in the past 22 years," Jeff Braun, emergency management coordinator for Fort Bend County, said in a prepared statement.

Memorial Day events scheduled for Sugar Land Memorial Park have been cancelled.

Residents can check the floodplain maps to access potential damage to their homes at http://fortbendcountytx.gov/riverlevels

MONTGOMERY COUNTY:

Montgomery County officials announced Saturday they would be opening two shelters for those displaced by flooding. Those locations are: First United Methodist Conroe, 4308 West Davis, Conroe and Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Parish, 26777 Glen Loch Drive, The Woodlands.

As of 3 p.m. Saturday the following locations were experiencing high water danger:

- West Fork of the San Jacinto near Conroe- is currently in major flood stage and is forecast to crest at 1:00 pm today May 28th at 121.13 feet, and is predicted to remain in major flood stage until Wednesday.

- West Fork of the San Jacinto near Porter- is forecast to crest at moderate flood stage at 10:00 pm today, May 28th at 37.9 feet.

- West Fork of the San Jacinto near Humble- is currently in major flood stage and is forecast to crest at 5:00 pm Sunday, May 29th at 60.6 feet, up from earlier predictions of 59.2 feet, and is predicted to remain in major flood stage until Friday.

- Spring Creek- is currently in major flood stage at 107.57 feet and it is forecast to crest at 10:00 pm today, May 28th at 109.6 feet, and is predicted to remain in major flood stage until Monday.

- East Fork of the San Jacinto New Caney- is forecast to crest at major flood stage at 4:00 pm Monday, May 30th at 24.4 feet, and is predicted to remain in major flood stage until Wednesday.

Peach Creek Near Splendora – is receding at this time, but is predicted to remain in major flood stage until tomorrow morning.

Caney Creek at Splendora- is currently in major flood stage has crested, is receding, but is predicted to remain in major flood stage until tomorrow.