Helicopters rescue Houston residents from rising waters

Harris County officials confirmed 18 helicopters were rescuing people stranded on rooftops across metro Houston.

Marilyn Fajardo, a spokeswoman for the Coast Guard in Houston, said the helicopters are being flown by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

If you are trapped by floodwaters and cannot get through to 911, the Coast Guard is accepting calls for help through the following phone numbers:

281-464-4851

281-464-4852

281-464-4853

281-464-4854

281-464-4855

People and rescue boats line Tidwell at the east Sam Houston Tollway as rescues continue from flooding following Hurricane Harvey Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Houston. People and rescue boats line Tidwell at the east Sam Houston Tollway as rescues continue from flooding following Hurricane Harvey Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Houston. Photo: Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle Photo: Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 116 Caption Close Helicopters rescue Houston residents from rising waters 1 / 116 Back to Gallery

Witnesses said at least one person appeared to have been plucked from Brays Bayou by a black military-style utility helicopter.

That helicopter and another hovered over the bayou and part of the Maplewood South/North neighborhood just south of the Brays for nearly two hours Sunday afternoon to rescue residents from their rooftops.

Most of the streets of the neighborhood just south of the bayou on both sides of Hillcroft were swamped with water. Some area residents reported on social media that their homes had taken on water, including some who said their houses had been inundated with as much as four feet of water.

As of noon, Brays Bayou had spilled out of its north bank, flooding the neighborhoods north of Braeswood.

South of the bayou some residents broke out canoes, kayaks and pool floats to explore their neighborhood. Others slogged through flooded streets to take pictures or simply view Brays Bayou, which had swollen to three times its normal size.

Fajardo said the Coast Guard is currently flying rescue missions, but did not know if DPS or Customs was also flying.

Emergency workers have responded to more than 2,000 cases by land, water and air over the past 24 hours, according to Fajardo.

No other information was immediately available.