'Worst flood ever' hits Houston in wake of Hurricane Harvey

02 September 2017

Since Hurricane Harvey hit the coast of Texas on Friday, August 25, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has confirmed a total of 28 deaths in Harris County, which is home to the city of Houston.

According to the Associated Press, a total of 42 people lost their lives as a result of the storm. The number is expected to climb as recovery efforts continue.

Hurricane Harvey, which has been called a once-in-a-thousand-year-storm, devastated over 100,000 homes.

It is estimated that 1,300 square miles of Harris County was covered in one-and-a-half feet of water. The National Weather Service said that Harvey broke records, with up to 51.88 inches of rain recorded in some areas of Texas.

Flooding caused explosions at a chemical plant near Houston and 439,000 Texans were forced to leave their homes and spend at least one night in one of the 258 shelters operating across the state and in Louisiana. 

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that the recovery will take years and more than $100 billion dollars.

So far, charities saw record donations for the victims, with Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt raising more than $16 million as of Friday, shattering the record for donations to a crowdfunding campaign.

Even President Donald Trump said he would pledge $1 million of his own personal money towards relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey.

A local hero has emerged from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. Through his press conferences and on his Twitter account, Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District, has provided victims with the latest news on evacuations, answered questions about rising water levels, and kept residents informed with constant updates throughout Hurricane Harvey.

As a sign of respect, Houstonian Blake Ford set up a GoFundMe page to pay for a vacation for Lindner, saying his press conferences were “an invaluable, reassuring resource in what has literally been a natural disaster.”

“I do not know Jeff, but he seems like a swell fellow. I figure the least we can do is show our thanks and gratitude by getting Jeff a vacation once this is all over,” Blake said, adding the vacation would have to be “after hurricane season of course.”

When Blake told Linder about the page, he said he was “blown away” by all the donations. However, Lindner said that he would not be allowed to accept any gifts over $100 as a government employee. Instead, Blake has decided to turn the campaign into a charity in Lindner’s name. So far, the campaign has raised more than $15,000, which will go to help the victims of Harvey.

A representative with Arkema Inc. told RT America that a fire, which caused noxious plumes of black smoke to tower over Crosby, Texas on Friday, has is not yet extinguished, but is “in the last stages of smoldering.”

The fire erupted after two refrigerated trailers containing chemicals became too hot and combusted, Richard Rennard, president of acrylic monomers business for Arkema, said in a press conference.

READ MORE: Explosion at Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas causes massive fire

There are another six trailers at the plant, which Rennard said do not have refrigeration capabilities. He added that officials “fully expect the same thing to happen with those containers that we saw today.”

President Donald Trump has sent an initial request for $7.9 billion to fund recovery efforts related to Tropical Storm Harvey, the Associated Press reported Friday.

White House budget director Mick Mulvaney requested the funds on behalf of the administration in a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) obtained by NBC News.

The request includes $7.4 billion that would be provided to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, including funds to ensure the agency is prepared for any additional recovery efforts that may occur. Additionally, the request includes $450 million to support the Small Business Administration's disaster loan program to “assist small businesses and homeowners.”

“These additional Federal resources would enable the affected States to address disaster response and immediate recovery needs in the areas most affected by Hurricane Harvey,” Mulvaney said, adding that the resources should “be provided as emergency funding.”

Mulvaney also notes that the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides affordable flood insurance to property owners, expires on September 30, 2017. He said the administration will work closely with Congress to reauthorize the program and “implement reforms that can garner bipartisan support.”

The House majority leader's office has listed the disaster funding bill as an item up for vote late next week, according to KRCR.

Exxon Mobil engineers are working to restore the water supply to the city of Beaumont, Texas, where Harvey’s flood waters knocked out the town’s pumps.

Ashley Alemayehu, a spokeswoman for Exxon, said that the company is working with two other companies to install a temporary pump that would provide water to residents, according to the Beaumont Enterprise. However, Alemayehu said that the water would still need to pass through a treatment facility before it can become operational.

The city notified residents of Friday that any water coming from their taps should be brought to a “vigorous rolling boil” for two minutes and then cooled prior to consumption in order to “ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes.”

01 September 2017

After a second trailer at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas erupted in plumes of black smoke, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) released a joint statement that said they are monitoring the smoke and air quality and the potential for additional fires in the area. They also said there are “aerial assets ready to be deployed” in the area if needed.

The agencies said that after consulting with local and federal response managers, they have concluded that the safest course of action would be to “allow the remaining containers to catch fire, rather than try to send people to move them or put firefighters and first responders directly in harm’s way.”

Texas Authorities have received 1,992 complaints about price gouging and fraud, Jennifer Speller, a spokeswoman for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, told Reuters. Many of the complaints were about gas stations overcharging and necessities such as food, water and shelter. Speller said that price gouging is illegal if a disaster has been declared.

Paxton also warned individuals who wish to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey by donating to charities to avoid fake charities and scams. In a news release issued Friday, Paxton advised donors to research the charity by using Charity Navigator or resources provided by the Office of the Texas Attorney General. He also warned against charities that demand immediate donations or those that refuse to provide detailed information about how the donations will be used.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called for the voluntary evacuations for residents of western portions of the city, due to flooding that could occur as a result of controlled water releases from the Addicks-Barker Reservoirs.

Turner warned residents who chose not to evacuate that “a threat to life and property exists or is likely to exist in the immediate future.” He added that resident who chose to stay should be prepared to remain without electricity for the nest 10 to 15 days. CenterPoint Energy will be conducting targeted outages in the evacuation zone starting Friday afternoon.

The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office released a statement on Friday that said the latest air quality readings from the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas show “no detections.”

The Fire Marshal’s Office, which has ordered residents within a one-and-a-half mile radius to evacuate the area, said that only one of the nine trailers at the plant containing liquid organic peroxides caught fire and burned on Thursday. The remaining eight trailers have “not produced smoke or fire.”

However, in a conference call with reporters on Friday, Arkema President and CEO Rich Rowe said he expects some of the materials in the remaining eight trailers will catch fire. Rowe said that the best course of action would be to let the trailers “burn out.”

“The only recourse is to let the eight containers burn out," Rowe said, according to ABC News. "It’s 500,000 pounds of material; let that material burn out."

On Thursday, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Tweeted that 15 deputies were “complaining of respiratory irritation from the Arkema incident.”

On Saturday, President Trump will visit Houston, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana to meet with survivors of Hurricane Harvey and the flooding caused by the storm, the White House has confirmed.

FEMA has approved $79 million dollars in assistance to Texas, Governor Greg Abbott told reporters on Friday.

Flooding still represent a danger, with Abbott urging Texans to heed evacuation warnings as waters can rise suddenly.

Some 439,000 Texans spent last night in one of the 258 shelters operating across the state and in Louisiana.

The governor also addressed the rumors of fuel shortages, assuring Texans there is "plenty of gasoline" in the state.

“Don’t worry, we will not run out,” Abbott said.

The storm that started out as Hurricane Harvey has now weakened into a post-tropical cyclone, the US National Hurricane Center said on Friday.

Having dumped record rainfall on the Texas coast and caused historic flooding, the storm is now moving through Kentucky with maximum sustained winds of 25 mph (40 km/h).

President Donald Trump will be back in Texas on Saturday, after visiting Corpus Christi and Austin earlier this week. 

The death toll from Hurricane Harvey has risen to 47, CNN reports.

Most of the flood waters are expected to recede from Harris County by Saturday, officials told the Associated Press. However, Jeff Lindner, meteorologist for the Harris County Flood Control District, estimated that it would take 10-15 days for the areas outside Houston to be fully cleared.

Lindner estimated that up to 70 percent of Harris County, which encompasses 1,800 square miles and is home to the city of Houston, was covered in one-and-a-half feet of water.

According to the National Weather Service’s final storm summary, the area that received the heaviest rainfall was Cedar Bayou, which recorded 51.88 inches of rain, breaking the previous record in the US.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has confirmed seven more deaths related to Hurricane Harvey, bringing the total number of fatalities to 39.

The institute has listed a total of 25 deaths in Harris County, which is home to the city of Houston.

The two largest railroad companies in the US, Union Pacific Corp and BNSF Railway, which were both forced to suspended operations in the Houston area due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey, have restored limited rail service in parts of Texas, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Union Pacific released a statement that said the routes through San Antonio have been cleared, allowing them to run trains north and south between San Antonio and Hearne, Texas, according to Railway Age. The company expects to begin cleanup at its primary rail yards in the Houston area Englewood and Settegast in order to return service to the yards.

BNSF Railway, which suspended all operations at Houston-area railyards, has resumed loading and unloading operations at its Pearland automotive and intermodal freight facilities. The company expects service to be restored on its Conroe segment between Somerville and Dobbin on Thursday.

“We continue to re-route or divert as much traffic as possible around the area until flood waters recede and storm damaged lines can be repaired,” BNSF said in a statement obtained by Reuters. “Routes are open into central Texas and traffic is moving through San Antonio, including trains destined for Mexico through our Eagle Pass gateway.”

Amtrak announced Thursday that passenger services between San Antonio and Fort Worth have been restored, according to Railway Age. The Sunset Limited service that operates east of San Antonio is still reportedly unavailable.

President Donald Trump has prepared an initial request for $5.9 billion to fund recovery efforts related to Tropical Storm Harvey, an administration official told Reuters. The White House has reportedly promised to make the request to Congress very soon.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston) is reportedly working on bipartisan legislation with Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to provide a total of $150 billion in emergency funds to the area.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the government’s efforts to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey could affect the debt ceiling deadline by “a couple of days.”

“We obviously have now the hurricane spending, which is an issue. So that’s going to have some impact on our September spending,” Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC.

Representatives from several federal and state law enforcement agencies have announced the formation of a working group to investigate and prosecute illegal activity related to Hurricane Harvey.

A press release issued by the Southern District of Texas Department of Justice states that the group will be investigating individuals who took advantage of the storm, to impersonate law enforcement officers, submit fraudulent insurance claims, solicit donations for fraudulent charities, in addition to theft, looting, and other crimes.

Acting US Attorney Abe Martinez said that the group will use the lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina to “combat any criminal activity arising from the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey and the rebuilding efforts underway.”

“The last thing that victims of this damage need is to be victimized again,” Martinez said.

As Tropical Depression Harvey moves away from Texas, officials in Houston have announced that the city is returning to normal.

Houston fire chief Samuel Pena said the city only received 800 calls Thursday, compared to the 16,000 calls throughout the storm, according to the Houston Chronicle.

CenterPoint Energy said crews had restored power to over 30,425 customers by 1:30pm. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that only 37,000 homes remain without power in the region.

“Traffic is returning to our streets, and we’re turning the corner,” Turner said. 

Tropical Depression Harvey has moved inland and is causing flooding and tornadoes in Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flood threat for most counties of Mississippi, with severe warnings issued in the north of the state.

NWS has issued also issued flash flood warnings for most of middle Tennessee, which is estimated to receive four to eight inches of rain.

A tornado watch is in effect in several counties in Alabama, with the NWS estimating gusts up to 35 miles per hour. The storm has knocked down trees and caused power outages across the state.

31 August 2017

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced $100 million has been made available to “meet the infrastructure needs of Texas.”

Chao added that there is $353 million in department funds that is available to Texas from today to the end of the fiscal year in October.

The department has over 40 staff members from the modal administrations on the ground and coordinating to get “transit assets back up and running.”

The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has launched an investigation into the root causes of the explosions at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas.

Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland announced the CSB would investigate activities and request documents related to the chemical process used at the plant, the chemicals used, stored and produced at the site, as well as “implications for emergency preparedness and response efforts.”

Sutherland said that investigators would not be deployed to the plant until all emergency response activities have concluded and the facility is safe to enter.

In March, Sutherland criticized President Donald Trump for proposing to eliminate the agency in the 2018 federal budget.

After the nation’s biggest refinery shut down due to flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, fuel prices rose more than 10 cents across the nation, according to GasBuddy, a gas price tracking firm.

As fuel prices have risen, many gas stations in areas hit by Harvey flooding have shut down, and long lines have formed at the ones that have remained open. However, the head of the Texas agency that regulates the oil and gas industry explained that there is not a fuel shortage.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton said that gas stations are only closing because customers are afraid of a shortage that doesn't exist.

"Remember the old stories of runs on the bank?" Sitton told WFAA. "If everyone goes to the bank at the same time and tries to get their money, then it causes a panic and the bank doesn't have enough cash in the drawer to give everyone their money...The bank has your money, it's just not sitting at that one [branch]."

Sitton advised customers to wait three or four days to fill up at the pump if they can.

The US Department of Energy has released 1 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), in order to offset the losses incurred from Harvey, according to Reuters.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) released a joint statement on Thursday, warning residents in areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey about the hazardous conditions of the flood waters.

The agencies said they are aware that “releases of wastewater from sanitary sewers occur during major flood events.”

An analysis of the flood water conducted by Texas A&M University found that E. coli levels are 125 times higher than those considered safe for swimming, according to WITI.

Terry Gentry, an associate professor in the university’s Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, said that test samples from Cypress, a suburb northwest of Houston, showed bacteria levels 15 times higher than those considered acceptable for walking through.

The Houston Health Department has advised residents and responders not to eat any food that has come in contact with flood water. The department also advises anyone who has come in contact with the flood waters to wash their hands regularly and get a tetanus shot if they have not had one in the past five years.

A new analysis from the University of Wisconsin’s Space Science and Engineering Center has determined that Hurricane Harvey is a once in a 1,000 year flood, according to the Washington Post.

Shane Hubbard, the researcher behind the calculation, said that Harvey is “something that hasn’t happened in our modern era of observations.”

“In looking at many of these events [in the United States], I’ve never seen anything of this magnitude or size,” Hubbard said.

According to Hubbard’s calculations, at least at least 20 inches of rain fell over an area of nearly 29,000 square miles, which is larger than 10 states.

Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt has raised more than $11.7 million for the victims of Hurricane Harvey through the crowdfunding site YouCaring. More than 112,000 donors have contributed to his “Houston Flood Relief Fund” campaign, which has become the fastest growing and largest charitable fundraising effort in the history of crowdfunding.

Watt began his campaign by contributing $100,000 to the fund himself. He set a goal of raising $200,000 on Sunday, which was reached in two hours. Watt then raised the goal to $500,000, which was raised within 24 hours. The current goal is now set at $15 million.

“It’s an unbelievable testament to the good of people. But now it’s a big task, trying to make sure this money goes directly to the people,” Watt said, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Watt said that the funds will be initially be used to send semi trucks filled with water, food, clothing, generators, and other supplies to the affected areas.

President Donald Trump said he will pledge $1 million of his own personal money towards relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey, said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Thursday.

Sanders said Trump he had asked for White House reporters to make suggestions for the names organizations that are best at helping and providing aid.

During question time a reporter asked if the money would come from Trump or one of his foundation.  Sanders said she didn't know the legal route but it was his personal money.

"First time since 9/11 all 28 Fire and Rescue crews have been activated," said Tom Bossert, White House Homeland Security Advisor at an afternoon briefing on Thursday.

"Life saving, life sustaining operations are still underway."

Bossert said they were seeing some additional loss of life and over 100,000 homes were affected by Hurricane Harvey. He said some homes affected with 2 foot water or less, some with as much eight feet of water.

Harris County morgue is close to capacity because of storm-related bodies and deaths not associated with Harvey. Funeral homes have been unable to retrieve bodies in the aftermath of the storm. A spokeswoman said the morgue has 175 bodies in total. Its capacity is 200. So far, 18 bodies are storm-related and 10 more are being investigated, potentially storm-related. The county has asked for a large refrigerated 18-wheeler tractor trailer to store more bodies.

The death toll from Harvey stands at 30.

___

Officials in Beaumont, Texas said there's no quick fix for the city's water outage as rising flood waters on the Neches River are covering pumps that are the primary source of drinking water.

Workers won't be able to check the pumps until the water recedes, according to city manager Kyle Hayes. The city's backup water source has also failed. City officials said they plan to get bottled water to residents as soon as possible.

Earlier on Thursday, Baptist Beaumont Hospital evacuated nearly 200 patients by air because of a lack of water.

Vice President Mike Pence, visiting Texas to meet storm victims and survey the damage wrecked by Hurricane Harvey, said President Trump will return to Texas on Saturday.

The vice president will travel to the coastal town of Rockport, the first area hit by Harvey, which set a rainfall record of over 51 inches and severely flooded Houston.

 The US military has dispatched dozens of aircraft to assist in relief missions across Houston, Texas, including surveillance aircraft.

One aircraft is conducting air traffic control, surveillance and gather data on flooded areas and to provide “situational awareness” to operations centers, officials told military.com

Other aircraft are providing helicopter air-to-air refueling.  Two other aircraft were carrying 30.6 tons of relief supplies to Alexandria International Airport, Louisiana.

Another two planes transported 20 airmen from Oregon Air National Guard who will provide humanitarian support. National Guard units in Kentucky and Alaska are also sending around 20 personnel to assist in those efforts.

The operator of the Arkema chemical plant has confirmed that up to eight more containers could burn and explode, according to AP.

More than 40 people have been arrested for looting in Houston and surrounding areas, according to police.

Burglars armed with a brick broke into a Walgreens on Monday but only to take money from three cash registers and several packs of Newport cigarettes. They left behind over-the-counter drugs, wines and expensive perfumes, according to the Houston Chronicle.

As many as 20 looters broke into a grocery store in east Houston to steal money and cell phones, officials said.

City officials also warned residents to beware of scammers going door-to-door with fake stories of being police officers or contractors hoping to help.

To prevent looting, on Tuesday Houston imposed a curfew in effect from midnight to 5 am.

The "pops" at the Arkema plant occurred inside one of nine 18-wheel box trucks at the site, according to Bob Royall, an assistant chief with the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.

"There are nine vans. Of the nine, three had lost refrigeration to keep them cool. the other ones are still under refrigeration," he said, adding that the chemicals are "in containers in cardboard boxes inside the vans."

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez is not calling the incident at the Arkema plant an explosion, but rather a series of "pops." 

"It wasn't an explosion, I want to be very clear, it was not an explosion..." he said during a press conference.

"There were different organic peroxides of different grades that were released and it created a pop in the containers where they were being stored and some gray smoke initially emanated from it and eventually turned into black smoke" after a fire began.

It remains unclear whether all residents obeyed an evacuation order for the 1.5 mile radius surrounding the Arkema plant, according to Rachel Moreno, a spokesman for the county fire marshal's office. 

She added that her office has received an unconfirmed report of a woman who may still be in the evacuation zone, Reuters reported.

A sheriff's deputy has been taken to hospital after inhaling fumes following the Arkema explosions. Nine other deputies drove themselves to hospital as a precaution, according to Reuters.

Arkema chemical plant has confirmed that two explosions and black smoke have occurred at the site. 

“At approximately 2 a.m. CDT, we were notified by the Harris County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of two explosions and black smoke coming from the Arkema Inc. plant in Crosby, Texas,” Arkema wrote in a statement.

"As we communicated in recent days, our site followed its hurricane preparation plan in advance of the recent hurricane and we had redundant contingency plans in place. However, unprecedented flooding overwhelmed our primary power and two sources of emergency backup power. As a result, we lost critical refrigeration of the products on site. Some of our organic peroxides products burn if not stored at low temperature."

The Houston Fire Department will conduct a block-by-block rescue effort on Thursday, assisting stranded residents as they search for the 17 people missing. 

The Harris County Emergency Operations Center has reported two explosions and black smoke at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, according to the Houston Chronicle and NBC 6. 

Reuters is reporting that at least 35 people have been confirmed dead and 17 others are missing. 

Vice President Mike Pence will travel to Texas on Thursday to "visit with those affected by Hurricane Harvey and assess the damage," according to the White House. 

Arkema Inc chemical plant in Crosby, outside Houston, is expected to explode after power loss left it without refrigeration for organic peroxides. 

"The fire will happen. It will resemble a gasoline fire. It will be explosive and intense in nature...as the temperature rises, the natural state of these materials will decompose. A white smoke will result, and that will catch fire. So the fire is imminent. The question is when," Arkema spokeswoman Janet Smith said late Wednesday. 

With Harvey expected to leave billions of dollars in damage in its wake, companies around the country have dished out $72 million to storm relief efforts as of Wednesday afternoon, according to an estimate by the US Chamber of Commerce, CNN Money reported. Alone, Verizon contributed $10 million. Figures continue to change at a rapid pace as contributions continue to come in. 

Employee donation matching programs around the US could rake in an additional $5 million. 

"The corporate response thus far [has] been strong," Senior Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce Foundation Marc DeCourcey said.

But it is still too soon to compare the total amount in corporate donations to that of past disasters.

"This disaster is still unfolding. ... We're still in the response phase, and in some instances the rescue phase. We're encouraging companies all across America to give now, and to give to trusted nonprofits," DeCourcey said.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina pulled in $1 billion from businesses within the first six months of each disaster related to that storm, Inc. reported, citing the Chamber of Commerce Center for Corporate Citizenship. 

Houston Fire Chief Richard Mann said a "wide area search" to help people with recovery operations would begin on Thursday in the city's hardest hit areas. He stated it will be a one-to-two-week process, according to CBS News. Mann said since Harvey started, the fire department has received 15,000 calls for service.

Most of the Houston area's waterways are expected to drop below flood stage by the weekend, Gregory Wellers, a hydrologist at the West Gulf River Forecast Center in Forth Worth, said, according to USA Today.

"Houston is catching a break," he said.

But he added that the city's main waterway, Buffalo Bayou, may remain at flood stage for weeks, maybe longer.

Wellers attributed the issues at Buffalo Bayou to two of the city's bodies of water, the Addicks and the Barker Reservoirs. The two reservoirs are full and will have to be slowly drained into Buffalo Bayou over the coming weeks.

Harvey has officially weakened to a tropical depression, the US National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday. Life-threatening and catastrophic flooding continues to affect the southeastern part of Texas and southwestern parts of Louisiana. But the threat of heavy rains has now subsided in the Houston and Galveston areas.

Harvey may have released as many as 2 million pounds of potentially hazardous airborne pollutants from Houston-area oil refineries and other facilities, according to a submission of regulatory filings to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, NBC News reported.

The estimated amount of pollutants released greatly exceed legal limits in some cases. But the state agency can't confirm how many contaminants have been released due to air-quality monitoring stations in the area being shut down ahead of Harvey's landfall.

READ MORE: Texas air pollution sensors switched off as refineries seep toxic chemicals into air & water

30 August 2017

Properties totaling in value of at least $23 billion have been affected by flooding related to Harvey in parts of Harris and Galveston counties, a Reuters analysis of satellite imagery and property data shows. This figure is representative of market values, as opposed to the amount related to storm damage. It should be noted satellite images are incomplete as of Wednesday, meaning the number serves as a small fraction of the storm's reach.

Since Hurricane Harvey made landfall, at least 11 people have died in Harris County. This brings the grand total to 30 confirmed and suspected flood-related deaths. Now a tropical storm, Harvey is moving away from Houston, meteorologist Scott Padget of KVTV reported. By late Wednesday or early Thursday, Harvey will turn into a tropical depression. Despite the lessening of extreme weather, the recovery for Houston and many parts of Texas will remain a struggle.

READ MORE: Human chain saves elderly man from sinking SUV in Houston floodwaters (VIDEO)

In Springfield, Missouri, President Donald Trump addressed the American people and victims of Tropical Storm Harvey in a speech focusing on the tax code. He stated "all of America is grieving with you," ABC News reported.

The president also looked to reassure those who lost property and loved ones during the storm. "We are here with you today, we are here with you tomorrow, and we will be with you every single day after to restore, recover and rebuild." 

Before the speech, Trump tweeted about his Tuesday trip to Texas where he witnessed "first hand the horror & devastation" brought upon by Harvey. The president finished the tweet by writing, "my heart goes out even more so to the great people of Texas!"

The Red Cross reported 17,000 people sought shelter from the storm overnight on Tuesday, and at least 18,600 people were rescued from water across southeast Texas. Harvey has now resulted in at least 21 confirmed deaths. Heavy rain is expected to continue through Labor Day weekend, while parts of Texas and Louisiana await record totals for rainfall during that time, forecasters say, NBC News reported. 

Texas may require more than $125 billion in US aid for recovery efforts in connection to Tropical Storm Harvey, Governor Greg Abbott said during a press conference on Wednesday. The governor also said Texas should be given more relief than was allotted to the city of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, due to the size and scope of the storm, Reuters reported. 

Authorities have located the remains of a Houston family that perished in the flooding when their van was swept off a bridge on Sunday, Harris County sheriff’s office said.

The van was found in the muddy water of Green’s Bayou in northeast Houston, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. The bodies of two adults were visible in the front seats, but the divers could not see the remains of the four children inside due to the water conditions and the position of the vehicle, AP reported.

The sole survivor, Samuel Saldivar, identified the victims as his parents Manuel (84) and Belia (81), and great-nieces and nephews Devy (16), Dominic (14), Xavier (8) and Daisy (6).

Residents of Port Arthur are sending desperate pleas for rescue via social media. Hundreds of people are trapped by the flooding, and the authorities are calling for anyone with a boat to help.

A dire situation is developing in Port Arthur, a community of some 55,000 people ninety miles east of Houston, near the state line with Louisiana.

Hurricane Harvey, now weakened to a tropical storm, made landfall in the area overnight and dumped 60 inches of rain, causing flash floods, inundating shelters, and trapping entire families on the roofs of their homes.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a statement on Tuesday that warns residents about people impersonating federal agents, knocking on doors in the Houston area, and telling resident to evacuate so they can rob their houses.

ICE advises residents to ask any agents who visit their homes for credentials, stating that all officers with HSI wear badges labeled “special agent” and officers with Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) wear badges labeled with ERO officer.

The agency further notes that ICE is “not conducting immigration enforcement operations in the affected area.”

A Facebook Live video posted Tuesday shows an armed man warding off would-be looters from a store. The video was taken on a cell phone from inside a car, where one of the passengers expressed fear of calling for boat rescuers, as she felt the chance was too high they could actually be robbers.

Three more deaths have been reported by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities related to Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey to 19.

The institute updated its list of confirmed fatalities on Tuesday, which included Agnes Stanley, an 89-year-old woman found floating in four feet of water in a residence.

Travis Lynn Callihan, a 45-year-old man who reportedly exited his vehicle and fell into flood waters, was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead Monday.

The updated list also includes a 76-year-old unnamed woman found floating in the water near her vehicle Saturday.

Singapore's Defense Ministry announced they will deploy up to four Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the Peace Prairie detachment in Grand Prairie, Texas to assist with search and rescue operations.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong offered the support to President Donald Trump while he was enroute to Texas. Trump thanked Lee and accepted his offer to help, according to the release.

The aircraft will be used to airlift troops and evacuees as well as transport supplies. The RSAF provided a similar offer in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The aircraft are expected to begin operations as early as Tuesday.

Officials are opening a shelter at the NRG Center, which is over 706,000 square feet, according to the venue website.

The space will open at 10:00pm to accommodate up to 10,000 evacuees, Darian Ward, a spokeswoman for Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, said, according to the Associated Press.

More than 13,000 people in southeast Texas have been rescued by local and federal agencies since Tropical Storm Harvey hit the region, according to the Associated Press.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said his agency has rescued around 4,100 people from the storm.

Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña says his agency has rescued more than 3,000 people from the storm.

Parisa Safarzadeh, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said her agency has rescued more than 3,000 people from the storm.

And US Coast Guard Lt. Mike Hart said his agency rescued more than 3,000 people from the storm.

Tropical Storm Harvey claimed another life Tuesday, according to the Beaumont Police Department, bringing the total number of fatalities to 16. Two Beaumont police officers and two fire-rescue divers were able to rescue a small girl with hypothermia found floating in a drainage canal, hanging on to her mother, who died.

According to a statement released by police, a woman from Beaumont was driving with her young daughter when their vehicle became stuck in high water. The mother exited the car with her child and they were swept into a canal.

Officers spotted the woman and her child about a half-mile away from their car as they were about to be sucked under a trestle. The police said they would not have been able to save the pair if they had gone under the trestle.

When officers pulled the child out, she was responsive but suffering from hypothermia. The mother, however, was unresponsive. The officers attempted to revive the mother, who died en route to the hospital. The child is reported to be in stable condition.

Two more deaths were reported on Tuesday, bringing the total number of fatalities related to the storm to 15.

Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety told the Associated Press that Ola Mae Crooks, an 83-year-old woman, died when her car was carried off the road by swift waters.

Ruben Jordan, a former track and football coach at Clear Creek High School, who went missing on Saturday, was reported dead on Tuesday, according to the school district.

According to a Facebook post by Jordan’s ex-wife, Sandra Jordan Washington, Jordan’s death was confirmed by the Friendswood Police Department. Jordan Washington did not provide any additional details, however, the Houston Chronicle reported that she told KHOU he had perished in the flood.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced a “Help for Houston” Drive started on Tuesday to collect items for to those impacted by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. The city is asking residents to contribute items such as toiletries, diapers, baby formula, non-perishable food and clothing and blankets.

There are currently six locations around the city that are accepting donations until Thursday, August 31.

"I've made it clear to the Mayor of Houston that Boston is here for them. Let's come together as a city, contribute in any way we can, and show Houston that they have Boston's full support,” Walsh said in a statement.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the Toyota Center has been opened as an additional shelter for to evacuees on Tuesday.

The indoor arena, which is is home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets, can hold up to 19,000 people, according to the stadium’s website.

The center was opened in order to alleviate crowding at The George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown, which has housed more than 10,000 people, double the number that were expected to stay there, according to ABC News.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has imposed a curfew from 10:00pm to 5:00am in order to “stop any property crimes against evacuated homes in city limits.”

Police Chief Art Acevedo said that anyone found in the streets during those hours will be subject to “stop, questioning, search and arrest.”

At a news conference, Turner said that the curfew will go into effect starting Tuesday night and will stay in effect until it is “no longer needed or warranted.”

Turner said that a similar curfew prevented burglaries and looting after Hurricane Ike devastated the state in 2008.

The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office has called for an evacuation of all residents within 1.5 miles of the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, as a “precautionary measure.”

The fire marshall said Arkema notified the county of a “possible reaction of some chemicals on site,” which they said could lead to a fire at the facility that could then result in “a large amount of black smoke.”

County officials said they would continue to monitor the situation and work with company officials.

The site, which produces plastic resins, was closed Friday and lost electricity Sunday morning, but an 11-person crew remained there until Tuesday late afternoon, when all personnel were ordered to evacuate.

The Arkema, Inc. plant, which is located about 29 miles northeast of Houston, has taken on more than 40 inches of rain, and flooding has deluged its back-up generators.

29 August 2017

At a press conference on Tuesday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that “the end of the rain may be in sight.”

By Thursday, Turner said that the rain will clear for two to three days “assuming things remain on track.”

However, Turner said that 1 trillion gallons of rain that fell on the area “still have to go somewhere.” The reservoirs and lakes in the region are still expected to cause additional flooding, even after the storm has moved away from the area.

“So, we’re not done with the flooding even if the skies are clear,” Turner said.

Turner added that the National Weather Service said the east side of Interstate-45 will only see about two to three inches of rain over the next 24 hours, while the west side will only see one to two inches of rain during that time.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo confirmed Tuesday that 14 suspected looters have been arrested since Sunday, KTRK reported. The chief said an armed group of looters was arrested Monday after a pursuit, while another group was arrested the same night attempting to steal from a Game Stop.

Acevedo plans to pursue the toughest punishment possible for looting, a prison sentence of five years to life. Home burglary convictions typically bring two to 20 years in prison. 

The Houston Office of Emergency Management said Monday that there was a "minimal" number of looting incidents.

Over two dozen oil tankers carrying nearly 17 million barrels of crude oil are adrift near several ports in Texas and Louisiana, according to Zero Hedge.

At least 25 tankers, including 20 Aframaxes, three VLCCs and two Suezmaxes are sitting off ports in Corpus Christi, Freeport, Galveston, Houston and Texas City, Texas, as well as off the Sabine Pass and Lake Charles ports in Louisiana. They are all closed due to Hurricane and now Tropical Storm Harvey.

It is unclear when they will be offloaded, as many ports, including Houston, have yet to announce reopening dates. The port of Corpus Christi plans to restart operations on September 4.

A new record for rainfall in the continental US was set Tuesday late afternoon in Cedar Bayou, Texas, which recorded 51.88 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

A chemical production plant in Crosby, Texas, has evacuated all personnel due to the prospect of a chemical emergency that could cause a fire or explosion, KTRK reported. The Arkema, Inc. plant has taken on more than 40 inches of rain, and flooding has deluged its back-up generators.

The site, which produces plastic resins, was closed Friday and lost electricity Sunday morning, but an 11-person crew remained there until Tuesday late afternoon.

There is no imminent danger, plant officials say. Authorities are remotely watching for temperature changes of each refrigeration container.

Crosby is about 29 miles northeast of Houston.

Trump briefed

President Donald Trump was in Austin, Texas, for a briefing from several cabinet members late Tuesday afternoon. The meeting was attended by Governor Greg Abbott and the state’s senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn as well as First Lady Melania Trump.

“There’s never been anything so historic, in terms of damage and ferocity,” Trump said of what is now Tropical Storm Harvey and its fallout since arriving as a major hurricane.

During the roundtable briefing, US Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon told the president that the agency had 900 agents stationed in Dallas, Texas, and activated 600 others to help in recovery efforts. McMahon added that their first home loan had already been approved, and that loans for businesses as well as for lost income and equipment will begin being approved soon as well.

US Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson told Trump and the rest of the room that his department was aiming to “go from the phase of rescue and reaction to the phase of recovery in a smooth transition” and provide forms of relief, including for home foreclosures.

Two airports in Houston are set to reopen soon. The Federal Aviation Administration announced that Hobby Airport will return to service Wednesday at 8am Central time, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport will be back up Thursday at noon, NPR reported Tuesday afternoon.

Residents in parts of Houston are being advised to boil their water, KRIV-TV reports.   

“To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes,” says the notice posted by the Utility District 6 in Harris County, according to the local TV station.

The water advisory is also in effect for Harris County's Lake Forest utility district and Woodbranch Village in the neighboring Montgomery County.

Earlier in the day, city authorities said the Houston water was safe for drinking and would remain that way.

The Mont Belvieu industrial suburb, east of Houston, recorded 51.12 inches (129.8 cm) of rain Tuesday afternoon, breaking the highest previous record of 48 inches (121.9 cm) from Tropical Storm Amelia in Medina, Texas in 1978.

Roads and bridges in the Houston area are starting to buckle under the impact of flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. Several roads have been damaged by torrential rains while one bridge has already collapsed, Reuters reported citing Jeff Linder of the Harris County Flood Control District.

Over 9,000 people displaced by the flood have taken refuge inside the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.

There are more than 17,000 people in shelters across Texas, according to the Red Cross.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo has confirmed the death of one of his officers. Sergeant Steve Perez was on his way to work on Sunday morning when he was swept up in the flooding.

Perez was a 34-year veteran of the Houston PD and was just two days shy of his 61st birthday, Acevedo said.

Louisiana is offering spare shelter capacity near Shreveport to Texans displaced by Hurricane Harvey’s flooding, Governor John Bel Edwards told reporters.

“We are trying to be good neighbors,” he said, noting that Texas was still considering the offer.

Some 30,000 people in southern Louisiana may need shelter as Harvey moves up the coast, authorities noted.

Louisiana is also offering fuel to the “Cajun Navy,” volunteers who came with boats to help evacuate Texans trapped by floodwaters. The group is also coordinating with Texas authorities to ensure it doesn’t get in the way of their relief efforts, Edwards said.

President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and several Cabinet members have met with Governor Gregg Abbott and acting FEMA director Brock Long in Corpus Christi, Texas.

“We can count on the President and his staff for helping Texas,” Governor Abbott said, praising the administration's efforts to prepare for Hurricane Harvey.

Trump commended the Texas authorities for their response to the disaster of "epic proportions."

Long warned that the recovery will be a long-term effort, as Houston and the surrounding area are still coping with record rainfall and flooding.

Houston officials are preparing to open additional large shelters, Mayor Sylvester Turner said on Tuesday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been asked to provide supplies and food "as soon as possible" to help a further 10,000 people coming from the city and surrounding areas.

President Donald Trump and the first lady have arrived in Texas to visit the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey and the flooding caused by record-setting rainfall.

The Air Force One has landed in Corpus Christi, where the hurricane first made landfall.

Houston police arrested three people on a suspected robbery crew on Monday night, Chief Art Acevedo told reporters. All police officers are on duty and working around the clock to keep order.

The number of people rescued from the floods has grown to 3,500, Acevedo added.

One Texas family is threatening to shoot anyone who tries to loot their hurricane-damaged home, WFAA-TV reported. Residents of Portland, just across the bay from Corpus Christi, put up a "You loot, I shoot" sign in their front yard.

"When you have people that have lost everything, you need food, you need clothes, people get desperate and you go into that kind of mindset," a woman who lives in the house told WFAA.

Several neighbors said they agreed with the sentiment.

"If someone breaks into my house, they're asking for it," one resident said.

Four children and their great-grandparents were among the 14 people who have died in Texas trying to escape the floodwaters produced by Hurricane Harvey.

“The 14 reported dead include a family of six who were lost when their van sunk after crossing a bridge and hitting high water,” Harris County sheriff’s office said. The youngest in the family was six years old. The Coast Guard told their relatives that they couldn’t search for the bodies until the water recedes.

Texas officials fear that the death toll from Harvey is likely to rise, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Brazoria County officials are urging everyone near the Columbia Lakes – south of Houston, Texas – to evacuate immediately, after the levees on the Brazos River broke.

Almost 6,000 prisoners have also been displaced by Hurricane Harvey. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is evacuating 1,400 inmates from two prisons in Richmond, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of Houston, due to the rising floodwaters. Some 4,500 inmates from the Terrell, Stringfellow, and Ramsey prisons south of Houston have already been relocated to east Texas, AP reports.

Houston’s Addicks dam has begun spilling over, and engineers are trying to release some of the water in order to save the neighboring communities. The difficulty of controlling the release is “something we’ve never seen before,” flood control official Jeff Lindner told reporters.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said 3,052 people have been rescued by law enforcement since Harvey started wreaking havoc on the city. And in the last eight hours, 1,000 have been taken to safety, the Associated Press reported. 

FEMA Administrator Brock Long said on Monday that he expects 450,000 people affected by Hurricane Harvey to apply for federal assistance. Long stated he was shipping 2 million liters of water and 2 million meals to the affected areas, which includes Louisiana.

In Texas's Harris County, several thousand people stranded in vehicles and buildings near water were rescued by firefighters and law enforcement using helicopters and motorboats. Many volunteers in the area even used their own boats to bring people in danger to safety, the New York Times reported.

Texas officials estimate 30,000 people affected by Hurricane Harvey have fled to emergency shelters, including to inland cities like Dallas and San Antonio. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings stated the city was told to get ready for “numbers that could be up in the tens of thousands.”

In San Antonio, large warehouses turned into shelters that could house more than 4,100 people fleeing Harvey.

On Monday, the center of the storm turned eastward to the Gulf of Mexico, which in turn raises the possibility that Harvey could strengthen even more, the New York Times reported. 

Texas officials reported that at least nine people have died statewide since Hurricane Harvey began, the Washington Post reported. Authorities expect the number of fatalities to rise as rescue efforts continue, Late Monday, during a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, President Donald Trump made a promise to people affected by the storm. “I think that you’re gonna see very rapid action from Congress, certainly from the president, and you’re gonna get your funding.”

Joel Osteen, pastor for the 17,000-seat Lakewood Church in Houston, is facing criticism because he did not immediately open his church to residents displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Yesterday, the church's Facebook page posted a statement that read: "Dear Houstonians! Lakewood Church is inaccessible due to severe flooding!"

Many people have since taken to social media to criticize Osteen for not making his place of worship available to people seeking help.

On Monday, in response, Osteen tweeted that he would start work on a hurricane relief fund. "Over the last couple of days, as the enormity of this storm was being realized, we have been working to organize relief efforts for the Houston area with our friend Franklin Graham and the disaster relief organization that he oversees, Samaritan’s Purse." 

On Monday night, writer Charles Clymer cited a source inside Lakewood Church and posted photos alleging that it would soon be opening.

"Lakewood Church apparently bought countless air mattresses and are prepping to open their doors. Took a while but good news."

No official comment has been made by Osteen or anyone from his ministry regarding the opening of the church.

FEMA administrator Brock Long estimates that a total of 30,000 people in Houston, along with the southeast area of the state, will have sought shelter at the time of the storm's conclusion, the Associated Press reported. 

28 August 2017

Local investigative reporter Ted Oberg tweeted Monday afternoon that "a sea of people" are trying to evacuate from an area in northeast Houston, according to KTRK. 

Hurricane Harvey has claimed another life, as the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed Monday afternoon that 60-year-old Lisa Jones was killed by a tree that fell on her home while she slept. The woman's husband went to the authorities when he noticed the tree fell, but when he came back with help, they discovered Jones was dead. At least eight people have died so far as a result of Harvey, according to KHOU. 

READ MORE: Devastating aftermath of Hurricane Harvey as death toll rises (VIDEO)

Budweiser-maker Anheuser-Busch has converted a factory in Cartersville, Georgia to stop production of beer, and instead will be producing cans of water to be distributed to victims of the catastrophic Hurricane Harvey in Houston. The company has already shipped out over 155,000 cans, according to WXIA. 

READ MORE: Hurricane damage shuts down major US oil refineries 

NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston is now closed due to rainfall and flooding connected to Hurricane Harvey. The center's emergency management office tweeted that waters are now knee-deep on some streets near the facility. However, the center for human spaceflight will reopen Tuesday for all mission essential personnel.

A family of six is believed to have drowned in their white van on Sunday afternoon in Houston. They had been trying to escape from the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, relatives told KHOU. This is the deadliest incident connected to Harvey, thus far.

Hurricane Harvey has dumped so much rain on the Texas coast, the National Weather Service had to update its color chart to show it more accurately.

Texans who were evacuated from flooded homes in the 18 counties eligible for federal aid will need to apply for government housing aid, FEMA Administrator Brock Long said Monday.

The government will provide short-term shelter and seek to house the displaced in long-term rentals close to their places of employment. Prefabricated housing or trailers will be the last resort.

“It’s a long process," Long cautioned. "Housing is going to be very frustrating in Texas.”

Rebuilding the affected communities will take “patience and cooperation” of everyone in the region, Governor Abbott added.

Hurricane Harvey may have caused seven deaths so far, the authorities said, six in Houston and one in Rockport, Texas.

Eighteen counties have been declared eligible for federal disaster aid, Governor Abbott said at a press conference on Monday afternoon. A state disaster declaration is in effect for 54 counties.

The response of local leaders on the Texas coast has been “immeasurable, courageous and heroic,” Abbott said.

Search and rescue still remains a priority for the authorities, but providing necessities like food, water and power are right behind. Crews are working to re-establish electricity supply. Food and water supply points are being set up in every county. First portable toilets will arrive by Tuesday, Abbott said.

There is still no official word on the fate of Aishia Nelson, the Houston resident featured on ABC's Good Morning America, who was asking for help getting her family evacuated. 

All 12,000 members of the Texas National Guard have now been activated to deal with disaster relief from Hurricane Harvey, Governor Abbott has announced.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner confirmed that there were 5,600 or so people in emergency shelters, and predicted that the number would increase "exponentially" in the coming days.

About 2,000 residents have been rescued from flooding by police, Chief Art Acevedo told reporters.

Some areas of southeast Texas, around Houston, have already seen more than 30 inches of rain, the National Weather Service said.  

Hurricane Harvey is now spinning near Port O'Connor, Texas, and is supposed to move back into the Gulf of Mexico today, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm will meander over the Gulf for a couple of days before making a second landfall somewhere near the Texas/Louisiana border, likely on Wednesday.

Hundreds of people affected by the flooding have flocked to the downtown convention center-turned emergency shelter.

More than 30,000 people are going to need temporary shelter, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said on Monday.

"The sheltering mission is going to be a very heavy lift," FEMA Administrator Brock Long said in a Washington news conference, adding that up to 50 Texas counties are dealing with the impact of the storm.

The agency is expecting more than 450,000 disaster victims to file for assistance.

The water has receded from parts of downtown Houston that were flooded over the weekend, but that could change as the Army Corps of Engineers start to release water from reservoirs overwhelmed by Harvey, according to AP.

Half of the city has no working traffic signals and most businesses, including restaurants, were closed due to the storm.

The Army Corps of Engineers said it had started releasing water from two reservoirs in the Houston area because the water level in them was rising quickly, meaning that there was a risk of an uncontrolled escape. The release from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs into the Buffalo Bayou river will cause flooding of homes in the surrounding communities, the statement said.

“If we don’t begin releasing now, the volume of uncontrolled water around the dams will be higher and have a greater impact on the surrounding communities,” Galveston District commander of the Corps, Col. Lars Zetterstrom explained.

More than 1,000 people have been rescued in Houston as of 5pm Sunday, the city’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, announced, as quoted by AP. The official said that nearly 6,000 calls had been received by local police and fire department units, adding that many people were trapped in their attics or on their roofs.

Over 22 aircraft were working to help identify people stranded on roofs, he said. Over 90 dump trucks and 35 boats are also used by the city in rescue operations.

In Dallas, officials have announced they would open an additional "mega shelter" to evacuees on Tuesday morning. The city's convention center will be able to serve 5,000 people fleeing from the hurricane-affected southern part of the state.

Water from two flood-control dams on the western outskirts of Houston might soon be released into the Buffalo Bayou River by the US Army Corps of Engineers, AP reports. Water will be released "very slowly" on Monday morning to prevent uncontrollable flooding of downtown Houston and the Houston Ship Channel, a local commander has said.

Meanwhile, all port facilities in the city will be closed Monday due to the continued water threat, Reuters reported a port spokeswoman as saying.

27 August 2017

More than 30 inches (76cm) of rain has fallen on parts of Houston in the last 48 hours, the National Weather Service reports, adding that more rainfall is on the way.

Nearly 7 million people live in the Texas counties now declared federal disaster areas, AP reports. The declaration covers 18 counties of the state with a total population of 27.8 million.

A sinkhole has opened up on a Texas highway in Rosenberg, some 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Houston, AP reported, citing Rosenberg police. The road has been blocked by police, with drivers urged to avoid the area.

US President Donald Trump will travel to the flooded areas of Texas on Tuesday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters.

“We continue to keep all of those affected in our thoughts and prayers,” she said, adding that the administration is still coordinating the logistics of the president’s trip with the local authorities.

Live feed from Rosenberg , Dickinson and Houston, Texas, as flood rescue operations are underway in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. 

The number of Texas counties declared federal disaster areas due to Tropical Storm Harvey has increased from six to 18, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, adding that expansion of the list was approved by President Donald Trump.

Several hundred people have arrived at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, which the authorities are using as a shelter for those fleeing the flood, AP reported.

The facility, managed by the Red Cross, is ready to accept around 1,000 people and can expand if necessary.

Smaller shelters are opening across the state as more Texans are evacuating from the rising water.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett has asked people who own a boat or a high-water vehicle to help the authorities in their rescue efforts.

“We desperately need boats and high-water vehicles... We can’t wait for assets to come from outside,” said Emmett, who oversees government operations in the area, AP reported.

Around 600 vessels, some of which were sent from Florida and Louisiana, are taking part in rescue operations, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said.

Buses have been prepared to evacuate people from Houston, with ambulances and medical units sent to the flooded city.

According to Governor Greg Abbott, 250 highways and roads have been shut so far due to the storm.

Around 3,000 National Guard troops are involved in assisting the authorities in emergencies and evacuations in Houston, Victoria and Corpus Christi, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said.

The Texan authorities warned that there’ll be “more rainfall… on occasion, very heavy rainfall” in the coming hours.

“Tornado action” is also possible in some areas in Texas, Greg Abbott, Texas governor, said during a press conference.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston has announced the cancellation of commercial flights due to the flooding.

The National Weather Service has warned that rainfall from Hurricane Harvey could reach 50 inches (1.27 meters) in some places, which would be the highest-ever level registered in Texas.

The residents of Houston shouldn’t expect the city to make a speedy recovery after Hurricane Harvey, warned William Brock Long, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator.

“It's going to be years,” Long said when addressed on the issue by NBC’s “Meet the Press”.

The authorities in Houston have received over 2,000 emergency calls from people affected by the flooding, Sylvester Turner, the city’s mayor, said.

Two apartment complexes in the city are now being evacuated, Turner said, adding that another 40 boats are to be added to the rescue effort.

Houston is going through the worst flood in its history and the situation is expected to get even worse, Patrick Blood, National Weather Service meteorologist, told the Houston Chronicle.

“I know for a fact this is the worst flood Houston has ever experienced,” Blood said, adding that “catastrophic flooding in the Houston metropolitan area is expected to worsen.”

The Weather Service office in Houston reported 24.1 inches (61 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours following 7 a.m. Sunday morning.

President Trump is to travel to Texas “as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption”, he said in a tweet. He also praised agencies and rescuers for their work responding to Hurricane Harvey.

Local authorities say at least two people have died as Harvey continues to batter the Texas coast. One person was killed in Aransas County when in a fire at home during the storm, AP reports citing county judge C.H. "Burt" Mills Jr. A second person died in flooding in Harris County, where Houston is located.

Gary Norman, spokesman for the Houston emergency operations center, said Saturday that the second victim was a woman who apparently left her vehicle in the middle of the storm.

Sergeant Colin Howard of the Houston police department said the woman died when she drove along flooded streets. "It appeared that her vehicle went into high water and she drowned as a result," Howard said, as cited by Reuters.

Meanwhile, some 300,000 people are suffering from a power blackout, according to AP. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said it would take several days to restore the electricity supply. In Houston, the state capital, authorities urged residents not to leave their homes as a flood emergency was declared. “The streets are treacherous,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

RT's Ruptly agency have released aerial footage showing entire Texas neighborhoods affected by the storm and floods. 

Houston officials are warning people to stay off the roads as rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey starts to flood the streets.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged people to stay in their homes because "the streets are treacherous,'' adding that officials were investigating reports that one motorist may have died in the floods.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Emergency for the Harris County area, where the sheriff’s office said it had rescued one driver from 3 feet (0.91 meters) of rushing water

At least three people were killed in Aransas County, an area hit heavily by Hurricane Harvey, the assistant fire chief with the Rockport Volunteer Fire Department, Roy Laird, told the Los Angeles Times. The number of casualties could rise as rescuers are still searching through the debris of collapsed buildings.

While the hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical storm, meteorologists warn that major damage could come from catastrophic flooding, with torrential rains expected to continue for days.

26 August 2017

Three cruise ships carrying a total of 20,000 passengers have been unable to dock at the Texas port of Galveston due to the ongoing storm, a US Coast Guard commander said at a conference, adding that the Coast Guard was in contact with all parties to get the ships and their passengers back safely.

"We talk every day with the cruise ship operators as well as the city of Galveston and the Galveston Port Authority to try to identify opportunities to be able to get these cruise ships in," Reuters quoted Coast Guard sector Houston-Galveston commander Kevin Oditt as saying.

Two of the ships have been diverted to New Orleans while a third has remained in Cozumel, Mexico, Carnival Corp, the firm operating the cruise boats, has said.

At least one person has been confirmed dead in the Texas town of Rockport, Charles Wax, the town's mayor, said in a news conference.

The victim was found after the storm moved further inland and away from the coastal town. Authorities have not yet notified the person's family.

Rockport, which lies about 25 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, suffered extensive damage as Harvey passed through the area.

The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has said his primary concern is “dramatic flooding”.

Speaking in a news conference at the emergency operation center Abbott revealed that he has expanded the number of counties covered by the state disaster declaration by 20.

Abbott said that he has no information about any fatalities yet and added that the federal declaration issued by Donald Trump was extremely fast and important.

Meanwhile about 25 percent of US Gulf of Mexico oil has been put offline due to the storm, the US Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said on Saturday.

That equates to around 428,568 barrels of oil per day.

The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Harvey to a Tropical Storm as it continues to weaken.

It now has a maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour (120 kilometers per hour).

The National Hurricane Center has said that Harvey's maximum sustained winds have weakened further and are now at 75 mph.

Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office has warned people that they may encounter alligators who are fleeing rising flood waters.

They advised people not to interact with the animals and to follow the advice of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department's Alligator Nuisance Control Hunters.

The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Harvey to a category 1 hurricane. It also said that the hurricane is likely to weaken further and become a tropical storm later on Saturday.

However the center did warn that "catastrophic & life-threatening" flooding is expected in parts of Texas.

US President Donald Trump has struck an optimistic note on Twitter, saying "so far, so good!"

The President also directly responded to US Senator Chuck Grassley who warned him not to make the same mistake as the Bush administration did during Hurricane Katrina.

The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Brock Long, has said the hurricane is "turning into a deadly inland event".

Hours after it struck land in the US, Hurricane Harvey has weakened to a Category 2 storm, according to reports.

Flash flood warnings have been issued across Texas with areas experiencing up to 30 inches of rain.

Tornado watch is in effect until 1pm local time. The US National Weather Service reports that twisters are possible as Hurricane Harvey moves slowly through the state.

“There have been brief spin-ups seen on radar along some of these tropical bands.”

Category 3 Hurricane Harvey continues to travel up the north-east coast of Texas. Winds have reached a reported max speed of 140mph in areas such as Rockport and Corpus Christi.

By initial indications, Harvey is likely to become worse than Hurricane Katrina, which struck America’s southeastern coast in August 2005. The tropical cyclone, one of the deadliest in US history, left over 1,200 dead.

US President Donald Trump says the federal government is monitoring the situation in Texas, writing on Twitter: “We will remain fully engaged with open lines of communication as Hurricane Harvey makes landfall. America is with you!”

NASA satellites captured a chilling photo of the eye of the storm, clearly visible from Earth’s orbit.

Major destruction is being reported out of Rockport, Texas, where the National Weather Service says "buildings collapsed with people trapped inside." NWS also reported "numerous structures destroyed" and "debris filling the air" as winds gust at 125mph or over 130mph in some areas. 

Hurricane Harvey is once again a Category 4 hurricane, after being reported as falling back to a Category 3 earlier Friday.

WXChasing, a storm chaser group, is live on Facebook from Rockport, Texas, where some of the most extreme weather from Hurricane Harvey has doused the city and homes.

The Texas city of Rockport is experiencing some of the worst effects of Hurricane Harvey so far. One person recording from inside a hotel there reported structural damage, including stairwells coming apart from the wall.

Earlier in the day, the mayor of Rockport advised those who were disobeying evacuation orders to write their names and Social Security numbers on their arms.

Residents of Rockport, Texas, and those who have visited, were sad to hear that the city's World's Largest Blue Crab was destroyed as Harvey made landfall. Local news station KENS captured footage of the damage, while the Rockport Volunteer Fire Department posted a photo of the attraction intact.

One Facebook comment asked why they didn't save the thing.

President Donald Trump has signed a disaster proclamation, which increases the amount of federal aid Texas will receive as Harvey makes landfall. Trump has been monitoring the extreme weather from Camp David near Washington, DC.

Hurricane Harvey is expected to make landfall Friday evening off the coast of Texas. Maximum sustained winds of 125 mph are expected, according to the National Weather Service.

A local Texas leader advised residents to write their names and Social Security numbers on their arms if they ignore evacuation orders.

"We’re suggesting if people are going to stay here, mark their arm with a Sharpie pen with their name and Social Security number," Rockport Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Rios said at a news conference Friday morning, according to Good Morning America. 

"We hate to talk about things like that," he said. "It's not something we like to do but it’s the reality, people don’t listen."

Rockport is one of five cities and seven counties that have been ordered to evacuate from their areas.

25 August 2017

Harvey's winds have hit 125mph, just 5mph below Category 4 status. The hurricane is expected to make landfall Friday night or midnight. 

Harvey has been officially upgraded to a Category 3 storm. Winds are now clocking in at 120 mph with a pressure of 943mb, according to the National Hurricane Center. 

The eye of the storm is now 60 miles (95 km) east-southeast of Corpus Christie, Texas. Harvey's winds have hit 125mph, just 5mph below Category 4 status. The hurricane is expected to make landfall Friday night or midnight. 

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office is alerting the public that alligators will be displaced due to the severity of the storm. The gators are seeking higher ground, according to the Alligator Nuisance Control Hunters of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Winds in Galveston, Texas are measuring consistently over 30 mph with gusts of up to 52 mph, according to meteorologist Mike Bettes of the Weather Channel. 

A local reporter in Galveston was treated to a six pack of beer while reporting on the scene. 

A reconnaissance flight over Hurricane Harvey recorded flight level winds of 146 mph, Pat Cavlin of WMAZ reported. A storm is considered a Category 4 when winds reach at least 130 mph.

Hurricane Harvey has now officially been updated to a Category 4 hurricane, according to the Weather Channel.

Several tornado warnings were declared by the National Weather Service in Houston and Galveston. Warnings for Angleton, Boling, Freeport, Iago, Lake Jackson and Wharton are in effect until 6:15pm local time. 

Livestream in Galveston

This muted livestream from Galveston, Texas, is courtesy of Galveston.com (feed via RUPTLY video agency). Hurricane Harvey is expected to wreak havoc on the Texas coast, with at least 111mph (178 KMH) winds and up to 35 inches (89cm) of rain.

Harvey from the heavens

See Hurricane Harvey from the heavens. NASA has released a video showing Harvey, as seen from the International Space Station (ISS), shortly before it is expected to hit the US coast.

President Donald Trump has spoken with the governors of Texas and Louisiana, and said the federal government will help as needed.

First Lady Melania Trump has also sent a message of support to those in the path of the storm.

There are some 4.6 million people in the path of the storm, Tom Bossert, White House adviser for homeland security, said Friday afternoon at a press briefing.

Evacuation orders have been given with the best interest of the people in mind, Bossert said, adding, “we encourage you to listen to them.”

About a third of the US oil refining capacity is in the path of the hurricane, Bossert acknowledged. Refineries are taking measures to weather the storm without significant interruptions.

The wind speed and atmospheric pressure of Harvey match the profile of 2008's Hurricane Ike.

Governor Greg Abbott has requested a federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump.

Airbnb is offering free short-term lodging to relief workers, volunteers and Texans evacuated from areas affected by Hurricane Harvey through September 1, the company has announced.

The program has been activated in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and surrounding areas.