El Paso motorists again battle flash floods on roads
EL PASO, Texas -- Heavy rain falling across El Paso on Wednesday afternoon triggered a Flash Flood Warning from the National Weather Service as conditions for a second time this week resulted in flooding along Interstate 10 near Asarco, backing up afternoon commute traffic to the downtown area.
Police had shut down three lanes of I-10 westbound due to that flooding. (You can see exclusive drone video shot by ABC-7 viewer John Ross of the flooding in the video player below.)
In west El Paso, Paisano and Executive was again closed due to flooding which was exacerbated by a water pipe rupture in that same area, while Mesa Street near Monticello was covered in flood waters as a result of storms. Police shut down northbound Mesa due to the high water. (You can see video of the Mesa flooding from TxDOT in the video player below.)
And in Canutillo, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said the 7100 block of Doniphan Drive (state highway 20) was again closed due to flooding and debris.
The El Paso Office of Emergency Management warned that even a few inches of moving water can be dangerous for motorists, with murky conditions potentially concealing hazards such as potholes and debris. Officials noted that a vehicle can slip off the edge of the road, puncture a tire, or become high-centered on a submerged log.
Emergency management leaders also pointed out the dangerous force of moving flood waters: "A slow stream moves at about 4 miles an hour – a good walking pace. At this speed, water exerts 66 pounds of force per square foot of surface area on anything in its path."
Officials emphasized that even when driving a large vehicle, like a truck or SUV, fast-moving water can easily overcome it.
For the latest traffic conditions anytime, visit kvia.com/traffic.
For current weather conditions and to view radar, visit kvia.com/weather.
