Overnight storms in Amarillo this week broke the record for year-to-date rainfall.Amarillo.com reports that the city has seen almost 27 inches of rain this year. This brings the total past the previous record, set in 1960. In neighborhoods around Amarillo’s playa lakes, flooding has become a serious concern. Citizens near the 77th street neighborhood have been stacking sandbags around their houses. Randall County Emergency Coordinator Kevin Starbuck said he didn’t know how successful the sandbags would be. The water has encroached into garages, and many residents have elevated their furniture onto cinderblocks.
Those who reside near playa lakes are urged to be prepared to evacuate immediately. The Office of Emergency Management warned drivers not to venture through barricaded roads.