The still-potent remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine raced up Interstate 35 on Wednesday, flooding people out of their homes, killing at least two people and setting a new record for rainfall in McLennan County.

Most municipalities in McLennan County reported few problems despite heavy downpours, but sewers backed up through manhole covers in four places in Waco, public works official Jonathan Echols said.

“The system has held pretty well because the ground was dry to start with and the rain came down off and on, not in a steady stream,” Echols said. “The four small overflows all stopped by about 5 p.m., and we didn’t have to put out a public notice about it because, together, they didn’t amount to 100,000 gallons.”

Emergency responders guide Belton residents from flooded homes in Bell County after heavy rain caused Nolan Creek to crest.
Jerry Larson/Waco Tribune-Herald

Oncor spokesman Mike Cain said as many as 2,500 electric accounts were reported out during the day in McLennan County, but crews had restored power to all but 116 by 5 p.m.

McLennan County

Lorena City Manager Billy Clemons reported some street flooding that abated by late afternoon and said a utility pole fell over, knocking out power to a lift station, but the damage was repaired by about 5 p.m.

The biggest problems were around Belton and Lake Whitney.

Hill County

Whitney High School became a command center and shelter as roads throughout Hill County were rendered impassable.

At least 17 people had to be rescued from their homes, many of them wading to higher ground clinging to a rope.

J.P. DeMeritt, emergency services director for the 18-county Heart of Texas chapter of the American Red Cross, said his organization was active in Whitney.

Debbie Moore of the Whitney Fire Department said officials would be watching the weather closely for the next 24 to 48 hours to be ready in case of renewed flooding.

The Waco Fire Department sent a team of four trained rescue personnel to help, and other assistance came from as far away as College Station and Fort Worth, both members of the urban search and rescue collaborative Texas Task Force 1.

Bell County

Flooding drove people to emergency shelters in Salado, Nolanville, Killeen and Harker Heights.

Salado City Hall was used as an evacuation center.

In Nolanville, the Pecan Village Mobile Home Park was reported completely flooded.

The Bell County Sheriff’s Office lost power and had to use a backup generator much of the morning Wednesday, as deputies were dispatched across the county to aid in search and rescue efforts.

In Temple, the Doshier Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant overflowed when water infiltrated the collection system and caused equipment malfunctions. Eight manholes overflowed, but city officials did not expect any interruption of water service.

Many streets were flooded.

The Temple Corps of the Salvation Army sent a mobile canteen with food, drinks and hygiene supplies.

Police discovered a submerged vehicle in Harker Heights and were investigating to see if anyone had been in it.

In hard-hit Killeen, the Austin American-Statesman said 19-year-old Rashima Shaquel Copeland died when her car was swept from flooded Reeses Creek Road on Tuesday night.

In Belton, Mayor Jim Covington declared a local state of emergency because of flood waters from swollen Nolan Creek. By 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, 26 people in the vicinity of Central Avenue and Interstate 35 were evacuated from their homes, some of them moving to a shelter at First Baptist Church.

Temple, itself stricken in several neighborhoods, sent a rescue team to help with the Belton evacuations and Fort Hood sent a swift water boat. Morgans Point and Moffatt emergency responders also helped.

Williamson County

In the afternoon, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Capt. Fred Churchill said all residents of a mobile home park on the San Gabriel River and residents of the nearby McShepherd subdivision had been accounted for.

Game wardens using boats rescued four in Williamson County and another nine in Belton as a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department helicopter searched for others in distress.

Statewide

A man drowned Wednesday afternoon after being swept away from firefighters who were trying to rescue him from a flooded creek north of Alvarado in Johnson County. The man had been stranded in his truck.

Arlington saw heavy flooding Wednesday, while two mobile homes and a house were swept away north of Austin.

Emergency personnel were performing high-water rescues from Austin to Dallas as the storm was downgraded to a still-dangerous tropical depression that was forecast to reach as far as Kansas.

dbolding@wacotrib.com

757-5743

Tribune-Herald staff writer Regina Dennis and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

Scott Fagner graphic / Waco Tribune-Herald

RELATED SEARCHES

• Whitney, Hill County residents say flooding is the worst they've seen
• Flooding in Central Texas: Sept. 8, 2010
• Flooded Central Texas dries out, assesses damage
• Low-interest loans available for Central Texans dealing with Hermine damage