The 500-year flood — that’s what we noticed again on Saturday, Oct. 17, 1998.
Simply put, a “500-year flood” describes the odds of a large flood taking place. A 1-in-500 likelihood… or a zero.2% likelihood. Significantly better than hitting the lottery, however nonetheless now not a just right wager.
When it was once in every single place, we hit the “rainfall jackpot.”
It began raining in a single day and through Saturday morning, main flooding was once already protecting a lot of the house. View archived aerial photos from Sky 12 in the video participant above.
But that was once simply the starting.
The torrential downpours persisted all day… it wasn’t letting up.
Watch: Flood ‘98: ’s whole video documentary of the South Texas flood of 1998
‘Get to the station’ — more uncomplicated mentioned than achieved
Back then we didn’t have GMSA on weekends and I used to be scheduled to do climate that night time.
The telephone rang early for all of us, announcing “get to the station.”
The downside: that was once more uncomplicated mentioned than achieved.
At the time, we lived simply north of downtown so the fastest option to paintings was once a instantly shot down Broadway.
Right previous Alamo Heights City Hall and the fireplace station there was once a VIA bus straddling the highway, blocking off all southbound visitors. Just past that time, the place the terrain drops, toes of water have been protecting Broadway.
A handy guide a rough rapid ahead… When it was once in every single place, the eating place “5050 Broadway” had a flood gauge signal. You know, the ones subsequent to the highway, seem like an enormous yardstick and are fixed proper within the entrance door to turn how top the water reached.
Back to my adventure looking to get to paintings. I attempted some of the community streets, however many of the ones have been like rapid, flowing streams. Strike 2.
Ah, the freeway! 281 is increased — a instantly shot into downtown. I set my path for the front ramp at Basse Road.
Getting there was once a problem in itself. I don’t suppose it would rain any tougher. The windshield wipers on top have been combating a shedding struggle.
Think of the ones summer season storms the place the sky opens up… for perhaps 10 mins. This were happening all morning and would proceed smartly into the afternoon. Every side road had inches of water dashing throughout.
Highway 281 changed into a causeway
I in any case made it to Basse and 281, however whilst I used to be anticipating to look a highway below a freeway with connecting ramps… there was once a lake! An unattainable web page. The water was once touching the backside of 281. That turns out unimaginable… nevertheless it was once.
Have you ever spotted the flood gauge the place the go out ramp from 281 north meets Basse? It’s about 15 to twenty toes. It’s there for a explanation why.
Turned round and were given to raised flooring and sooner or later were given on 281 headed south towards downtown… and any other incredible sight. The freeway most often sits above fields, timber, and different roads.
Now, it was once a causeway traversing a lake. More in particular Olmos Basin. Water was once close to the best of the dam, and emerging. It would sooner or later duvet phase of 281!
Trying to hide the flood from a news perspective was once, take into account that, overwhelming.
There was once simply an excessive amount of happening. Plus, looking to get someplace was once subsequent to unimaginable as a result of the torrential rain hadn’t let up.
Dale Keller, the photographer I used to be with, and I sooner or later went to get video of the new flood keep an eye on tunnel inlet alongside Josephine Street. Boy was once that factor constructed simply in the nick of time!
We were given out of the news automobile, sloshing through ankle-deep water, and made our option to the tunnel inlet.
Officials have been there checking it out as a result of particles — as in huge limbs and timber — was once beginning to clog the inlet.
The roar of the water and the quantity of water pouring down the inlet was once like a small chew of Niagara Falls. That was once frightening sufficient, however what in reality scared me was once when the legit on scene requested us, “How many are you?”
We mentioned simply the two of us. He mentioned, “You let us know when two people leave!” This was once a lifestyles and dying scenario they usually have been ensuring everybody was once accounted for.
We have been there for 10 mins at maximum and in that point the water on the side road round our truck went from ankle-deep to knee-deep.
We have been heading for as temporarily as conceivable however the water rose quicker.
Our truck was once swamped, so we bailed out into waist-deep water. Dale held the digicam smartly over his head.
We sooner or later made it again to , sopping wet, however there was once nonetheless extra news of the flood to hide.
The devastation left in the back of was once as incredible as the flood itself, to not point out the loss of lifestyles.
San Antonio formally were given 11.26″ of rain that day.
To upload insult to damage, we were given any other 3.16″ the subsequent day and 1.19″ Monday for a grand overall of 15.61″. Some spaces gained on the subject of 2 toes.
It was once no doubt a “500-year flood.” Little did any individual consider that historical past would repeat itself. “500 years” came with regards to 3 and a part years later.
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