Lubbock Hospitals, Bank, other Businesses Among those Affected by Flooding

LUBBOCK, TX. — Heavy rain caused flooding in Lubbock-area homes, businesses and hospitals on Thursday.

University Medical Center and Covenant Health were among those affected. In an email to A-J Media sent just before 3 p.m., Eric Finley, spokesman for University Medical Center, said UMC had flooding in four different levels of the hospital: the basement, first, second and fourth floors.

Water affected IT, health records, administration, day surgery and the Medical ICU, he wrote.

Leslie Cranford, spokesperson for Covenant Health, also in an email, said Covenant experienced minor flooding.

“There has been some minor leakage in older parts of the buildings, but patient care has not been affected,” she wrote.

According to one Facebook poster, the Wells Fargo building in Lubbock experienced flooding and authorities debated whether or not to close it for the day around the early afternoon.

A photo circulating on social media shows the Texas Tech Jones AT&T Stadium turf covered in water.

Matt Dowdy, assistant director of athletic communications, said the stadium had cleared of water by 4:20 p.m.

“The photo that was taken earlier was a photo from immediately after the storm,” he said. “Our drains on the stadium have worked the entire time. I’m actually looking out at the stadium turf right now and it’s almost all clear.”

Another Facebook post shows flooding just inside the door of Aaron’s at 19th Street and University Avenue.

Between Fourth and 19th streets on University Avenue, several cars were stalled in the roadway, while students tried to negotiate almost knee-high water to cross University Avenue.

About 2:19 p.m., Lubbock Fire Rescue reported high water and motorists in distress at Marsha Sharp Freeway and University Avenue, North Loop 289 and Quaker Avenue, Fourth Street and Indiana Avenue, Buddy Holly Avenue and Interstate 27, Yucca Lane and I-27, Erskine Avenue and North Memphis Avenue, 40th Street and Avenue S, Avenue U north of 50th Street, 19th Street and University Avenue, Clovis Road and Vernon Avenue and Avenue Q between 34th and 19th streets.

Water had receded from many of those roadways, though Avenue Q remained under water.

Firefighters in a dive boat rescued five people from high water around 25th Street and Avenue Q, according to the LFR Facebook page, while two homes near 23rd Street and Avenue W were evacuated after taking in more than a foot of water.

Roads were passable near Maxey Park soon after the rain stopped, but water was rapidly crossing 24th Street into the lake there and barricades were posted.

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