Flash Flood Sweeps Car Into Culvert, Killing Mother, 2-Year-Old Daughter

A young mother and her 2-year-old daughter drowned in North Texas on Saturday morning after a flash flood swept their car off the road and pushed it into a culvert filled with water.

The mother’s car had stalled on a service road in Fort Worth when it was pushed by waves of water from other vehicles, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. The midsized sedan floated into the culvert around 10 a.m. local time and within minutes was completely filled with water, the report said.

By the time rescue officials arrived, it was too late.

“When we got here the water was 30 feet deep and we couldn’t go in,” a fire department spokesman told the paper. Firefighters were called back after the water receded and the top of the vehicle was visible, the spokesman said.

“When we got here the water was 30 feet deep and we couldn’t go in.”

– Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman

Rescuers found an elderly man around 2:30 p.m. The report said he drowned after his vehicle became submerged underwater. No additional information was released about the victims.

The tragedies came despite the Fort Worth Fire Department’s warning Friday of flooding conditions, and as storms continued across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the Dallas Morning News reported.

“With the potential for heavy rain, be prepared for localized flooding…… If you are driving and encounter High Water please #TurnAroundDontDrown,” a tweeted warning said.

The National Weather Service issued a flash warning which remained in effect until 12:45 p.m.

The Fort Worth Fire Department expressed its condolences in a tweet Saturday evening and cautioned to other drivers: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”