SelectPlusTropical Storm Dolly Causes Flood WorriesTropical Storm Dolly Causes Flood WorriesThe Associated PressWidespread flooding was expected Thursday from Tropical Storm Dolly, that's also when officials plan to start assessing the damage. Dolly soaked deep south Texas and northeastern Mexico with more than foot of rain. (July 24)[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] DOLLY HAS BEEN DOWN-GRADED FROM A HURRICANE TO A TROPICAL STORM BUT SOME OFFICIALS ARE STILL WORRIED ABOUT FLOODING.100-MILE-AN-HOUR-WINDS AND ABOUT A FOOT OF RAIN FELL ON THE GULF COAST AS THE STORM MOVED INLAND FROM SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS TOWARDS BROWNSVILLE. DOLLY RIPPED ROOFS OFF BULIDINGS AND KNOCKED-DOWN TREES.[Notes:bud Kopp, storm victim]"yeah I thought it was just a big clap of thunder. We came out here and saw all this stuff lying around. And it's the roof.OFFICIALS SAY THE RIO GRANDE'S LEVEES APPEAR TO BE HOLDING. RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL AND WATER LEVELS ARE RISING STEADILY. BUT THEY HAVEN'T REACHED FLOOD STAGE.AREA SHELTERS EXPECT AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE ON THURSDAY - AS MORE PEOPLE GET FLOODED OUT. MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLE HAVE ALREAD MOVED TO PUBLIC SHELTERS IN THE THREE HARDEST-HIT TEXAS COUNTIES. NO DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EXPECTS DOLLY TO WEAKEN INTO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION THURSDAY. EMERGENCY WORKERS -- including Texas Governor Rick Perry - plan to assess the storm's damage even as people are still being rescued from flooded or damaged homes.[Notes:Lt. Col. Brian Dickens/Texas Army National Guards]SOT: If anybody is trapped in the high water we can go in and rescue them and get them to a safe area.THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU SAYS 1.5 MILLION TEXANS COULD FEEL DOLLY'S WRATH -- BEFORE IT DISSAPATES. TEXAS GOVERNOR RICK PERRY DECLARED 14 SOUTH TEXAS COUNTIES DISASTER AREAS AND IS SEEKING A FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION. ___ ___, The Associated Press.(****END****) (ANCHOR VOICE: SKozel-------------------------VIDEO PRODUCER: NHawkins------------------------------VIDEO SOURCE: Stringer/APTn--------------------------VIDEO APPROVAL: EFreeland------------------------------VIDEO RESTRICTIONS: N/A----------------------------------SCRIPT/WIRE SOURCE: AP------------------------------------) Author: AssociatedPress Keywords: dolly latest tropical storm causes flood worries Added: July 24, 2008
