PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — Search and rescue efforts continued on Monday after deadly flash flooding began this weekend in Texas. According to public officials, at least 104 people are dead and dozens are still missing.
One woman who lives in Pueblo was on vacation in Texas where the flooding happened. Julie Zabolio’s family has owned property along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas since the 1940s.
She said she typically spends every Fourth of July with family on the river. Zabolio was at her family vacation house outside the town of Ingram when the flooding started.
“You could see it flowing and the water flowing very quickly and hear the noise of it,” said Zabolio.
Zabolio’s home was built on a hill just short of a mile from the river’s edge. She said typically she can not see the river from her house, but on Friday morning flash flooding caused the water to rise.
“You could see the river,” said Zabolio. “That's the point where we were all just shocked, and we realized that this was a huge event, unprecedented in my lifetime.”
She showed pictures of the aftermath. This one was taken outside her cousin's house, just down the hill from where Zabolio was staying.
“The water was up to the front of his house,” said Zabolio.
It was something Zabolio had never seen before. Kayaks, boats, and even a truck were caught up in the debris, trees snapped in half and branches were scattered across the yard and driveway.
Zabolio said the destruction happened quickly. She said she received several flash flood alerts early Friday morning.
“A little after 3 a.m., it was a flash flood emergency, and then 4 a.m, 5 a.m. The alert saying don't try to leave, don't try to evacuate,” said Zabolio.
Zabolio was with 11 of her family members, including a nine-month-old child. She said the two bridges leading to the property were washed over.
“We were stuck at that point, we could not get out,” said Zabolio. “We lost our power and didn't have running water because our well is connected to an electric pump.”
She said once the water levels went down, neighbors began fixing the road so people could evacuate.
“These were local people, residents... nobody said, 'Hey, guys, go clean it up.' They just got busy doing it. You know, people want to do something, and so they were out trying to get it cleared away,” said Zabolio.
She said city crews installed a temporary fix on one of the bridges so neighbors and her family could get out safely.
“What we went through felt miserable and was nothing compared to what other people went through. It was inconvenient, yes, and we were alive and together, and, you know, we got through it,” said Zabolio.
Julie is glad to be back home in Pueblo with her husband and daughter.
She said her cousins are still in Texas, helping others clear out and clean up debris.
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Housing market snapshot for Colorado Springs in June
Days on the market continue to decrease when it comes to homes in Colorado Springs as the average median sales price hit $500,000 in June.
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