HOUSTON — A man had to be rescued from the top of his flooded truck on the south side of Houston Monday morning.
This happened as Hurricane Beryl brought heavy rains and flooding to much of the area.
KHOU 11’s cameras were rolling as the rescue unfolded. Muang Phway, 31, was forced to sit on top of the cab of his truck as he waited for first responders. Phway told KHOU 11 he was driving back home to Manvel when his truck got caught in a flooded area on Highway 288 near I-610 at Holly Hall. He said he saw other vehicles unable to make it but because he was in a higher truck, he thought he could.
Our cameras caught Phway moments before he was rescued. You could see him first climb into the bed his truck as floodwater rushed all around him. He then rolled the legs of his pants up and seemingly tried to kick the passenger's side window. Then he climbed on top of the cab as the strong wind made his balance unsteady just before a fire and rescue arrived.
Houston firefighters rescued Phway by deploying a ladder toward the flooded truck, lowering a floating device, and pulling him to safety. Once he was back on land, he gave KHOU 11 cameras a thumbs up before he was taken by paramedics to be checked out.
"I’m glad I’m OK. When I touch my feet under the water, I think I touched some sharp glass or something," Phway said when we spoke to him later Monday evening. "It’s not just regular water. You’re not swimming in a pool. You don’t know what’s under there."
While Phway is OK, he said he is still waiting to recover his truck.
He has a message for those who find themselves about to drive in high water, "If you have doubt, stick with the doubt."
Tips for driving when roads are flooded
- You can lose control or stall in less than six inches of water.
- In just a foot of water, your car can start to float.
- In only two feet of water, your car can easily be carried away while you’re still in it.
- If you encounter high-water spots, remember the saying: "Turn around, don't drown."
- If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the vehicle and move to higher ground.