Highway 277 North Closed 

Down due to Rising Waters

A.D. Ibarra

-Quemado/Normandy, TX

Almost exactly one year after the flooding of June 2013, Mother Nature has unleashed her fury once again, this time on the nearby towns of Quemado and Normandy.

As News Gram cameras began to approach the southernmost affected area adjacent to where creeks and possibly canals had overflowed due to approximately 7" of rain which fell on Wednesday night and early Thursday, Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber informed us on Thursday evening that the byway had been closed to and from Del Rio.

Officers were stationed at strategic places along the road such as at the corner of Thompson Road, at the corner of FM 131 and as far as Normandy.

Livestock could be seen knee-deep in water, the speed and movement of the current was impressive, Border Patrol, DPS and MCSO personnel were busy diverting traffic, yet there were still many vehicles traveling to and from the site.  We may have even witnessed the apprehension of a group of illegal aliens who were housed in an abandoned building who may have been stranded due to the rising flood waters.

When we arrived to water's edge, it definitely was a sight to behold.  The rushing waters were almost completely covering the roofs of the four rest areas adjacent to FM 1666!

Fire Chiefs Jesus Rodriguez and Sonny Mello along with Fire Marshal Rodolfo Cardona arrived to assess the situation, and as you can see in the photos, there was a significant amount of overflow and there were still storm clouds hanging overhead.

Workers from the Maverick County Road & Bridge Department could also be seen in the area assisting in any way they could.

JONATHAN FAHEY, AP Energy Writer