Pinay recalls being shocked at Texas flooding: We barely get rain

NEW YORK - A Filipina residing in Texas was shocked to wake up to flooding in their home in San Angelo, Texas on Friday as their area barely gets any rain.

“At around 4 a.m., my husband and I suddenly woke up to the sound of running water,” Bethany Bayer told GMA Integrated News.

“At first, we thought our dog might have spilled something, but when we got out of bed, my husband immediately said, ‘There’s water on the floor.’ When we turned on the lights, we were shocked — our entire house was flooding," she added.

Unable to open their front or back doors due to the strong current, Bethany, her husband, and their child were forced to climb out of a window to escape.

“We were basically trapped,” she said. “We wanted to check what was happening in the neighborhood, and when we got outside, the water was still rising.”

Bethany said the sudden downpour was highly unusual for San Angelo, a city not known for heavy rains.

“What’s crazy is that this is not normal,” she explained. “We’re in San Angelo, and we barely get rain. People here usually pray for rain because we need it. My husband grew up here, and he said he’s never seen anything like this. No floods — this is a first.”

She also showed the water marks left behind in their home and described the widespread damage seen throughout their neighborhood.

Drone footage shared by local resident Patrick Keely showed homes completely submerged, while one house near the Guadalupe River was seen being swept away by the raging current — with occupants reportedly still inside.

Flash floods hit central Texas early Friday, with Kerr County identified as the epicenter of the flooding, according to authorities.

At least 43 died and dozens were still missing, authorities said Saturday. Fifteen of the fatalities were children.

Members of the Filipino community in San Angelo and surrounding counties were among those affected.

The severe flooding began around 1:00 a.m. on Friday, catching residents off guard as torrential rains suddenly inundated homes and neighborhoods. 

“Helicopters have been deployed, and a lot of local residents volunteered to help find the victims,” Bethany said. “I saw in one local news report that some people staying in trailers were caught off guard while sleeping. They were warned to get out, but unfortunately, not everyone made it.”

Local authorities and emergency responders continued to search for the missing, with many residents stepping in to assist.

Meanwhile, GMA Integrated News is reaching out to the Philippine Consulate in Houston, Texas, to obtain the official count of Filipinos affected by the disaster. —KG, GMA Integrated News