Crews searching for 10-year-old girl swept away by Texas floodwaters

Brenham, Texas — Rescue crews in Texas were searching for a 10-year-old girl swept away by rapidly rising floodwaters as forecasters warned that Tuesday could bring more heavy rains and flooding to the Houston area and the state’s coast.

Teams of people scoured the city of Brenham on Monday night, using drones with thermal imaging and dogs to try to find the girl. But as heavy thunderstorms moved through the area, the Brenham Fire Department was forced to scale back the water rescue operation. It was expected to resume in the morning, the department said.

The department was working with around a dozen supporting agencies to find the girl, who was last seen at about 4 p.m. Monday.

Several bystanders tried to rescue the girl before emergency crews arrived, CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV reported.

A Brenham police officer who also tried to rescue her became caught in the current, KHOU added, but was rescued downstream and was being treated by Washington County EMS.

“There is bad weather on its way so we ask for prayers for the family and all the first responders involved in the search and rescue,” the Brenham Fire Department department said in a social media post.

The next round of severe storms could bring as much as 6 inches of rain Tuesday to parts of southeastern Texas, according to the National Weather Service in Houston.

The weather service also warned of a series of strong rip currents and flooding along Gulf-facing beaches, especially during high tides.

A large swath of the state, along with parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi were under a National Weather Service flood watch early Tuesday.

Just last week, storms drenched much of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, flooding and washing out roads and causing hundreds of flights to be canceled or delayed at major airports.

Brenham ia about an hour and 15-minute drive northwest from downtown Houston, KHOU points out.