Houston: When the Rain Came Down Like a Drowned Rat Cried
Ah, Houston. The city of rodeos, refineries, and apparently, really liking to test its residents' swimming skills. We all know about the scorching Texas sun, but did you also know Houston holds the dubious honor of being flooded by a hurricane that decided to, well, let loose?
The Culprit: Hurricane Harvey, Destroyer of Dry Land
This wasn't your average "oh no, the beach is a little wet" hurricane, folks. Hurricane Harvey, rolling in like a moody teenager in August 2017, was a Category 4 beast. It made landfall in Texas, and Houston, bless its concrete heart, was right in the splash zone.
The Big Splash: When the Bayou Became a Sea
Harvey didn't just bring a little rain, no sir. We're talking biblical proportions here. Imagine this: you're at home, maybe grilling some fajitas, when the heavens open up and it looks like they accidentally tipped over a giant vat of swimming pool water. That's what Houston residents were dealing with. Up to 56 inches of rain fell in some areas, which is basically like someone filling your bathtub and then dumping it on your house... repeatedly.
The Aftermath: Boats, Not BBQ
The flooding was catastrophic. Roads turned into rivers, houses became islands, and folks were pulling out their inner Marco Polo in inflatable dinghies. Over 60,000 people needed to be rescued, and the city turned into a real-life Venice, minus the gondolas and romantic canals (mostly).
Houston: We Can Take a Punch (and Flood)
But hey, that's the spirit of Houston! The city got knocked down, but it got back up, shook itself off, and maybe added some floaties to its emergency preparedness kit. Harvey may have been a soggy nightmare, but it also showed the resilience of the Houston community.
So, there you have it. The next time someone asks "what hurricane flooded Houston?" you can regale them with tales of torrential downpours, heroic rescues, and a city that, like a stubborn Texan steak, is tough to keep down.
