Updated Oct. 1, 2019 5:34 PM
As Imelda inundated Texas with feet of rain in mid-September, a few people found out the hard way that seemingly harmless puddles could be more than they appear.
One parking lot, in particular, was flooded by what looked to be just a few inches of water. However, a few people found themselves stepping into a well of water several feet deep.
A person in the area decided to videotape unsuspecting pedestrians as they walked directly into the pool of neck-deep water.
After flooding from Imelda hit Houston, Texas, parking lots, such as this one, were flooded, causing people to fall in neck-deep as they did not realize how deep the water was on Sept. 19.
The first person shown in the video above, who is carrying a child, appears to take one step into the water before becoming completely submerged with only an umbrella staying above the water’s surface.
Luckily, those that fell into the deep water appeared to be alright, albeit completely soaked.
On Sept. 19, the date that the video was recorded, Houston measured 9.21 inches of rain as Imelda unloaded heavy rain across the region. This is more than double the typical monthly rainfall in the city for September, which is 4.12 inches.
The phrase "turn around, don’t drown" has become well-known in recent years to warn drivers not to drive through a flooded road, originating in the early 2000s by a warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Service. The same can be said for cases like this where people attempt to walk through floodwaters.
Not only is it difficult to judge how deep the water is, but also what is in the water. In some cases, flooding can lead to open water being contaminated by sewage or other waste.
Minimizing contact with dirty water is one of many things people should do when flooding strikes.
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