People in Kirbyville are not just fearing flooding, many are being rescued from the rising waters. One woman rescued Thursday, however, is singing away her flood worries.
Evelyn took her 1st boat ride today, rescued from high water in Kirbyville. She de-stresses by singing. #SETXSTORMS pic.twitter.com/lo1o9Bk6JD
— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) March 10, 2016
Eveline Palmer is singing her stress away. Flood waters are still rising, creeping right up to her front door. She lives just behind a flooded-out auction barn near Highway 96 and County Road 561. Water so deep is something she's only seen one other time, years ago.
Water rescues are underway near 563 in Kirbyville. SETXStorms pic.twitter.com/Un8rChYx6q
— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) March 10, 2016
"About 7:10 [I heard] knocking on the door real loud," said Palmer. "I got up and I when I walked to the door, I saw the problem."
Palmer took her first boat ride Thursday and is staying at a shelter at the First Baptist Church in Kirbyville. She says all of her vehicles are under water and there's no sign of the water around her house going down, anytime soon.
Dozens more share Palmer's predicament. The pastor at the shelter says at least 40 people have stopped in for food and a place to sleep. At least 20 more were rescued from County Road 563, just down the road from Palmer's house.
"We're going to go to Grandpa's camp in Silsbee," said Devin St. Cyr. The Kirbyville boy and his family were boated out of their home Thursday.
"I've never seen it like that." said Jack Bishop with Jasper County Precinct 3. "You know it's crazy."
563 is a lake in Kirbyville. #SETXStorms pic.twitter.com/6wAjgnyKMw
— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) March 10, 2016
Bishop rescued about 7 people from CR 563 before the Game Warden brought in a boat and continued rescuing stranded homeowners. Opal Seals says the Kirbyville Fire Department called her and said she should pack up her pups, Louie and Maggie, and get to higher ground.
"I was going to stay but they said they let a lot [of water] out of the dam so maybe I better go," said Seals.
Opal Seals says the Kirbyville Fire called her and recommended she leave her house. She gave them a lemon pie. pic.twitter.com/zBkrqnjRbN
— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) March 10, 2016
The Game Warden used a boat to make the rescues and more First Responders with Jasper County and the Kirbyville Fire Department pitched in and even used a Humvee to part the murky rain water.
Humvee used in Kirbyville high water rescues. #SETXStorms pic.twitter.com/qdXXA4HeC5
— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) March 10, 2016
Throughout town, water continued to seep into cars, buildings and even took over Highway 96.
Flooding along 96 near 363 in Kirbyville. #SETXStorms pic.twitter.com/X4ASPOlq4y
— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) March 10, 2016
As the raindrops let up, the worry of flood waters getting to new places remained. Tyler County Emergency Management says they're having to open flood gates at Dam B. All that water is headed down the Neches River to Kirbyville.
Palmer says she's not even going to think about water getting into her house.
"I really don't even stress," said Palmer. "I just do what I've got to do. Call the insurance company, or pray about it and let the Lord have it. That's all I can do."
The Red Cross says another shelter is being planned for Orange. It will be at the North Baptist Church on Highway 87, opening possibly Thursday night or early Friday.
12News meteorologists estimate 8-10 inches of rain has fallen on Kirbyville in the last 48 hours.
