Texas storms kill at least six, bring torrential rains

DALLAS — At least six people have died in Texas in storms that lashed parts of the state with heavy rains, causing flooding and the cancellation of dozens of flights as twisters were reported near Houston, authorities said on Saturday.

A day after tornadoes ripped through buildings outside San Antonio and heavy rains swelled some rivers near Austin to record levels, the National Weather Service reported an apparent twister south of Houston in Brazoria County early on Saturday that damaged 25 trailer homes near the town of Alvin.

The Weather Service said it had tracked other possible twisters on Saturday in or near La Porte and Friendswood, near Houston.

Houston officials said in a statement on Saturday that authorities in the city were investigating two potential flood-related deaths.

With flash floods reported in several parts of the city, officials said Houston firefighters had performed more than 130 high-water rescues since midnight on Friday. There were more than 40 reports of flooded structures in the city.

Parts of the Houston area had rainfall totals since Friday of nearly 12 inches.

Some 140 miles west-northwest in Travis County, two bodies were found on Saturday and one was discovered on Friday, said Travis County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lisa Block.

One of those who died in the county was a man swept away by raging waters when his vehicle was caught southeast of the state capital of Austin, an emergency official said on Friday.

Parts of the region south of Austin were drenched with about 13 inches of rain within a few hours on Friday, officials said.

Also on Friday near San Antonio, the body of an individual was found on Camp Bullis after the person was washed downstream by fast-moving flood waters, U.S. Army officials said.

With storms buffeting parts of Texas, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport had 46 flight cancellations on Saturday and 293 flights delayed, while Austin-Bergstrom International Airport saw 40 flights canceled and 31 delayed, according to tracking website FlightAware.

Last weekend, storms strengthened by the remnants of Hurricane Patricia, which had traveled through Mexico, also caused heavy rains and flooding in Texas.