North Texas sends relief to aid deadly Rio Grande Valley flooding

North Texas is sending relief to victims of historic and deadly flooding along the Rio Grande. 

Rio Grande Valley Flooding

The backstory:

As the floodwaters from the weekend storms are beginning to recede, it gives local and state officials a better look at the scope of the damage left behind.

Hundreds of cars were abandoned along highways, neighborhoods and parking lots as folks scrambled for higher ground.

Crews are working around the clock to pump rainwater that flooded parts of the Rio Grande Valley over the weekend.

This video posted on social media by the Cameron County Constable in precinct five shows just how much standing water remains in parts of that county.

Major Frankie Zuniga is with the Salvation Army in McAllen and says hundreds of residents from several counties were displaced from their homes due to the flooding. Many are still without electricity and running water.

Zuniga’s branch mobilized nearly his entire staff and a team of volunteers to feed residents using their mobile kitchen. Zuniga estimates they have served about 5,000 meals so far.

More help is on the way as a team of volunteers from Texans on Mission left North Texas on Tuesday morning.

Spokesman for Texans on Mission, John Hall, says during this initial phase, about 20 to 25 volunteers will begin assessing the situation and then on-board local volunteers are deployed to help folks clean up and rebuild.

What they're saying:

"We were able to respond immediately after the storm came through," said Major Frankie Zuniga. "There were some shelters in Hildalgo County that popped up, and we were able to go out and be able to serve them."

"We're in the rebuild stage. So pretty soon people will be able to benefit from all the resources that all of the agencies have, and we'll get back on our feet," said Zuniga.

"The volunteers we're sending out today will begin the process of ripping out wet Sheetrock, wet flooring, wet carpet, wet furniture, just pulling everything out, so the home can dry out to begin the rebuild," said Hall. "This will be a long process and we want to walk alongside people throughout it."