Severe flooding in Houston stranded a truck driver in 10 feet of water on Sunday.
As the water began to seep into his cab, a local news team covering Hurricane Harvey spotted him and offered assistance.
Reporter Brandi Smith and photographer Mario Sandoval of KHOU 11 were the only members of their news station on the air when they saw the truck driver, named Robert, in need of rescue. KHOU had been forced to evacuate their building due to flooding.
As the @KHOU studios are evacuated, reporter @BrandiKHOU and her photog, on the side of a road, providing 100% of the station's coverage.
— Janet Shamlian (@JanetShamlian) August 27, 2017
In a video posted to Twitter, Smith and Sandoval were standing on Beltway 8 at the Hardy Toll Road when a Harris County sheriff water rescue team drove by towing a boat. Smith flagged down the officers and told them about the stranded driver.
Incredible, watch as @BrandiKHOU flags down a rescue boat on-air, saving this truck driver's life https://t.co/EVvNbdt13k?ncid=edlinkushpmg00000313pic.twitter.com/3mYi9McniB
— Hayley Jones (@meetmissjoness) August 27, 2017
LIVE NOW Again, @BrandiKHOU may have saved this trucker's life. Urged him to stay in cab; flagged down response team #khou11#HoustonFloodpic.twitter.com/zYzxqS1eQw
— Jason Bristol (@JBristolKHOU) August 27, 2017
The deputy sheriffs then navigated their rescue boat toward the stranded truck and pulled the driver to safety. When KHOU’s feed cut out during the rescue effort, Smith shared footage from the scene on Facebook and Twitter. The video below showed the driver safely exiting the truck around the 4:40 mark.
He's out! Our signal died, but @HCSOTexas crews got to that semi driver to safety. Full video here: https://t.co/uacB9hk9sU?ncid=edlinkushpmg00000313#KHOU11
— Brandi Smith (@BrandiKHOU) August 27, 2017
Smith and the driver embraced once he was out of harm’s way.
“I just thank God that you guys were right here to get me and put me back on land safely,” Robert said to the news and rescue crews. “I appreciate you.”
Smith reported that a truck driver died during a flood in the same location last year.
Thank you to @KHOU_MSandoval and @HCSOTexas for everything. pic.twitter.com/NcEmdi4vdo
— Brandi Smith (@BrandiKHOU) August 27, 2017
A CNN crew in Dickinson, Texas also helped stranded individuals get to safety.
Reporter Ed Lavandera and his crew were covering Hurricane Harvey on a volunteer rescue boat. They were about to leave the area when a woman flagged them down and said she and her elderly parents were stuck inside their home. The CNN crew assisted the volunteers in pulling the trapped individuals to safety.
A powerful moment on @CNN just now -- a flood rescue with @edlavaCNNhttps://t.co/4Icgn35WzV
— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) August 27, 2017
- This article originally appeared on HuffPost.