I-10 near Texas-Louisiana border flooded, shut down
BEAUMONT, Texas - Interstate 10 in Southeast Texas has shut down due to flooding of the nearby Sabine River following last week's heavy rains.
Meanwhile, Louisiana State Police say they may be forced to close down Interstate 10 at both state lines - Mississippi and Texas. No decision has been made yet though. Police there say the water is up to the shoulder on both sides of the highway near Slidell.
Most of the South has been inundated by record rains and severe storms in recent days.
The Texas Department of Transportation on Tuesday announced the closure of I-10 near Beaumont and the Texas-Louisiana state line.
Traffic was being rerouted from one of the main east-west routes across Texas amid high-water concerns. Travelers as far away as El Paso, San Antonio and Houston were advised to avoid I-10.
CBS affiliate KFDM in Beaumont reports eastbound drivers are generally being advised to use I-20 as an alternate.
Parts of Deweyville, a town of about 1,000 along the Sabine River, flooded last weekend following storms and water releases from the Toledo Bend Reservoir. A mandatory evacuation order was issued Saturday. Emergency officials planned an update Tuesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott declared 17 counties disaster areas due to the impact of high water from last week's storms.