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Viral photo of Texas nursing home residents sitting in waist-deep water prompts rescue

Posted at 5:29 PM, Aug 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-28 09:07:49-04

A Twitter photo posted on Sunday helped lead first responders to a Texas nursing home that was inundated in water from Hurricane Harvey with waist-deep water, ABC News reported. 

Nearly 25 residents were evacuated from the La Vita Bella Nursing Home on Sunday after 25 inches of rain fell in the Dickinson, Texas area this weekend. Much of the city of Dickinson is flooded as area bayous have swelled.

Timothy McIntosh, whose mother-in-law owns the nursing home, tweeted a photo of the nursing home, and asked for help.

 

In the photo, several residents are seen sitting in the water, surrounded by flood water. 

Within several hours after the photo was tweeted, the residents were rescued.  

"We're very grateful," McIntosh told ABC News about the nursing home rescue. 

Although the nursing home residents were rescued, Texas officials are asking those who need rescued not to use social media. Instead, they recommend calling 911. Rescue crews are backlogged, they are attempting to reach those who need rescued based on need.