FANNETT, Texas — Seeing a gator in southeast Texas usually isn't a big deal, but what if one swims up to your house?
That's exactly what happened to a Fannett man Thursday night while Imelda dumped heavy rain on the region. David Edwards shared a photo with 12 News Now of a gator he saw from his friend's porch.
According to the National Weather Service, Imelda brought up to 45 inches of rain to some areas in southeast Texas. Several communities around Beaumont are still experiencing flooding and portions of I-10 are still closed due to floodwaters.
Hundreds of people are still in shelters around Beaumont. Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames said crews responded to 7,500 calls with 700 rescues and 1,400 evacuations. Officials with the City of Beaumont said they hope to have city offices open to offer assistance to those in need. Debris pickup from the storm is expected to begin Sunday.
Beaumont Animal Care has picked up several animals lost from Imelda. They posted an album on Facebook of the cats and dogs. They are being held for 30 days to give owners a chance to recover them.