Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

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Zidane
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Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by Zidane » August 27, 2017, 2:02 pm

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has warned that severe flooding is his main worry as the rains from the now Tropical Storm Harvey continue to lash the state.
Mr Abbott said the cities of Houston and Corpus Christi had already received as much as 20in (50cm) of rain.
He said another 40in of rain could be due before the storm subsides midweek.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by strong winds and thousands are without power. Two deaths have been confirmed, in the Rockport area and Houston.
In Aransas County, where Rockport is the chief town, a person died in a house fire on Friday night
A woman died in Houston as she drove through flooded streets on Saturday
Houston, the fourth biggest city in the US, could see 2in-3in (5cm-7.5cm) of a rain an hour on Saturday night, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.
About 4,500 inmates from prisons south of Houston are being evacuated to other prisons in east Texas because the Brazos River nearby is rising significantly, officials say.
The Texas Governor has warned that flooding in the state is not going to disappear overnight
Harvey began as a major category four hurricane - the first to make landfall in the US in 12 years - before it was downgraded to a tropical storm later on Saturday.
Mr Abbott warned of the "potential for very dramatic flooding" from the storm while expanding a declaration of emergency in the state from 30 counties to 50.
He has mobilised 1,800 military personnel to help with rescue and repair operations.
Forecasts say that up to 40in (1m) of rain could fall in some areas of the middle and upper Texas coast, the hurricane center (NHC) warned. Such precipitation could trigger flooding in low-lying areas and near water outlets and rivers.
The National Weather Service cautioned that the storm was so severe that many areas could be uninhabitable for months.
In the wreckage of Rockport locals are the first responders.
Residents have been going door-to-door checking to see if their neighbours are dead or alive.
The little town has not been destroyed but it is in bad shape, particularly in the poorer quarters where trailer homes have been smashed open by the wind.
Debris is trailing from the tops of trees and on the porch of one modest property a rain-sodden American flag lies on the ground: a splash of red, white and blue amid the green leaves of fallen trees.
Most people appear to have got out just in time with many leaving only at the last minute as the full power of the storm became clear.
The storm has now mostly moved inland, officials say, with several places already reported to have received well over 10in of rain.
But coastal areas will also be flooded by storm surges during high tide, the NHC said.
Meteorologist Wendy Wong told the Houston Chronicle that at least seven tornadoes stemming from the hurricane had struck the Houston area between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.
The tornadoes destroyed buildings and homes and are likely to continue throughout Sunday and Monday.
Earlier, Harvey made a double landfall: north-east of the city of Corpus Christi initially late on Friday local time, then just north of Rockport a few hours later.
When the storm struck close to Corpus Christi it had winds of up to 130mph (215km/h), but by 18:00 GMT its sustained winds had dropped to 70mph - therefore becoming a tropical storm.
It was moving at an extremely low speed - 2mph.
The port of Corpus Christi - which closed on Thursday in preparation for the storm - only received "minor damage". Its navigation channel is due to reopen after a survey is completed by engineers.
Texas City also expects to open its port within 48 hours.
Utility companies say nearly 300,000 customers have been without electricity.
President Donald Trump has freed up federal aid for the worst-affected areas and Governor Abbott praised the administration for "stepping up".
In a teleconference with cabinet members Mr Trump "emphasised his expectations that all departments and agencies stay fully engaged and positioned to support his number one priority of saving lives", the White House said.
At least 18 people have been rescued from vessels in distress by Coast Guard helicopters. ABC News has tweeted a video of four people being rescued off the coast of Port Aransas.
Tornadoes have destroyed buildings and homes and are likely to continue throughout Sunday and Monday
Travis Pettis, a reporter with the Caller Times newspaper in Corpus Christi, told the BBC that strong winds when the storm arrived made the rain feel like "needles".
Trees came down in the city and power supplies were cut, but thousands of residents had heeded warnings and boarded up their homes before fleeing.
Port Aransas, a city on Mustang Island, near Corpus Christi, is also reported to have extensive damage. Local media reports say a search and rescue operation is under way at a trailer park.
Harvey is the first major storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. It is forecast to meander across south-east Texas until Wednesday.
Mr Trump is likely to visit Texas early next week, the White House said.
The storm is the strongest to hit the US since Charley in August 2004 and the most powerful to hit Texas since Hurricane Carla in 1961, which killed 34 people, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Hurricane Harvey.jpg
Hurricane Harvey Rockport.jpg
Hurricane Harvey waves.jpg


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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by Stantheman » August 28, 2017, 8:08 am

The runway at the smaller airport in Houston Texas after Hurricane Harvey dumped rain and still more to come in next few days.
21077247_10155685890197421_2223636630745265806_n.jpg

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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by Zidane » August 28, 2017, 9:24 am

Yes,flooding appears to be a big,big problem now with cities like Houston and Galveston badly hit....

Up to 2,000 people have been rescued from floods in and around Houston, as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to batter Texas with heavy rains.
There are reports of possible deaths in submerged vehicles, but investigations continue, Chief Darryl Coleman of the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott told the media he could not confirm storm-related deaths.
The National Weather Service (NWS) says conditions are "unprecedented".
It said there was a "flash flood emergency" across the Houston Metro area, with travel near impossible.
Many shelters have been opened, including in a convention centre.
Governor Abbott said about 250 roads and motorways had been closed in Texas and that he had made a federal disaster declaration for 19 counties that was granted by President Donald Trump.
"We are dealing with a triangle of ongoing rain, including Houston, Victoria and Corpus Christi cities," Mr Abbott said.
"We will continue receiving incredibly heavy rain."
The NWS earlier noted reports of five deaths in the area, but only one fatality in Houston has been confirmed.
Two deaths have so far been confirmed from the storm since it made landfall:
In Aransas County, where Rockport is the chief town, a person died in a house fire on Friday night
A woman died in Houston as she drove through flooded streets on Saturday
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has urged residents not to call emergency services unless their situation is life-threatening and they need to be rescued.
"Don't get on the road. Don't assume this storm is over," he said.
Officials in Harris County, of which Houston is the county seat, have asked people who own boats to help with rescues.
Houston Bush Airport has announced that all commercial flight operations have been stopped until further notice. Houston's other airport, Hobby, is also shut, with runways completely flooded.
In Washington, the White House said that President Trump would visit Texas on Tuesday to survey storm damage. Mr Trump had earlier said that he would go as soon as it was possible to do so "without causing disruption".
More than 3,000 National Guard members are on-hand to help in Houston and elsewhere
At 14:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Sunday, the NWS said Houston had had an August rainfall total of 25.50in (64.8cm), making it the wettest month on record.

Roads have turned into rivers
by James Cook, BBC News, Houston
Inside Houston a disaster is unfolding. The motorways are deserted except for fire engines, police cars and other emergency vehicles.
Moving around the city is extremely difficult and dangerous. And yet some people are still driving, adding to the pressure on city authorities
Everywhere you look cars are being abandoned as people scramble to find high ground. Roads have turned to rivers along which evacuees are being taken to safety in boats and in army-style, open-back lorries.
They are huddled together under blankets and towels, glad to be alive. And still the rain comes teeming down, bouncing off the ground and bursting out of drains.
Houston is facing a crisis on an unprecedented scale.

Flooding in the Houston area is expected to worsen and "could become historic", with "potentially significant flooding also expected in other saturated areas of south-east [Texas]", the forecaster says.
Like Houston, the island city of Galveston was also hit by "epic catastrophic flooding" overnight, the NWS added.
An inundated care home in Dickinson, Galveston County, is reported to have been evacuated by helicopter after an image of several elderly women sitting in a lounge in waist-deep water went viral on social media.
Hurricane Harvey,Houston.jpg
Hurricane Harvey,Houston National Guard.jpg
Hurricane Harvey,Nursing Home,Galveston.jpg
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Houston floods

Post by glalt » August 28, 2017, 1:23 pm

This makes our Thailand floods look kind of minor. Water and more water. Still raining;
Houston.jpg

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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by tamada » August 28, 2017, 8:59 pm

I have a house there on the NW side. My buddy normally keeps an eye on things for me but he's a volunteer fireman and he's been stranded at the firehouse due to the floods and hasn't seen his own place for 5 days already.

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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by Zidane » August 29, 2017, 3:25 pm

"Catastrophic" flooding in the US state of Texas is only expected to worsen in coming days as waters rise following a storm of historic proportions.
A record 30in of rain (75cm) has already fallen on the city of Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, turning roads into rivers.
But forecasters say the total rainfall could nearly double later this week.
US President Donald Trump has promised swift action to help those affected. He is due to visit Texas on Tuesday.
"Recovery will be a long and difficult road and the federal government stands ready, willing and able to support that effort," he said.
He said he was dealing with Congress on funding, warning "it's going to be a very expensive situation".
Mr Trump has also approved an emergency declaration for neighbouring Louisiana.
Harvey made landfall as a category-four hurricane late on Friday, bringing flooding described by officials as unprecedented. It was later downgraded to a tropical storm.
More than 3,000 people have been rescued in and around Houston, the fourth-largest city in the US, where about 6.6m people live in the metropolitan area. Helicopters have plucked victims from rooftops.
At least nine people are reported to have died in incidents related to the storm, Texan officials say.
Six members of the same family died trying to flee rising floodwaters, relatives told US media, but the incident has not been confirmed.
With the storm continuing, thousands more people are expected to need to evacuate their homes
Governor Greg Abbott has activated the entire Texas National Guard - some 12,000 so-called "civilian soldiers" - to assist national forces in search and rescue operations.
The area is expected to have received a year's rainfall within a week.
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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by Zidane » August 31, 2017, 6:43 pm

CROSBY, Texas — The operators of a chemical plant left without power by floodwaters said Thursday that two explosions rocked the facility and warned that more blasts could occur as rising temperatures make the compounds inside volatile and dangerous.
"A threat of additional explosion remains," said a statement from Arkema, the French chemicals group that runs the plant in Crosby, Texas, which was under about six feet of water from the relentless rains unleashed by Harvey.
The company urged residents to stay clear of a temporary evacuation zone set up Wednesday. The risks also appear to extend beyond explosions, as noxious fumes left at least one police deputy in need of medical treatment.
One deputy was taken to a hospital after inhaling fumes from the plant, and nine others sought medical care as a precaution, according to a tweet by the Harris Country Sheriff's Office.
The conditions of the deputy was not immediately known. The plant manufactures organic peroxides, a family of compounds used in everything from pharmaceuticals to construction materials such as counter tops and pipes. But the material must remain cold otherwise it can combust.
The facility's coolant system and inundated backup power generators have failed, according to the company. The plant lost primary power and then two sources of emergency backup power, said Richard Rowe, chief executive of Arkema's North American unit.

33 people are already known to have died due to the storm and the death toll is expected to rise as rescuers now concentrate on finding victims.
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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by mak » August 27, 2020, 6:59 am

Daughter of Harvey, Laura, expected to hit the Cajun Riviera with 20+ ft. surge.

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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by GT93 » August 28, 2020, 7:39 am

There's an opportunity here for Trump to sure up his diminishing support in Texas with a good federal response. Led by Trumpie. Thank Buddha this one wasn't called Hurricane Oswald.
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Re: Hurricane Harvey batters Texas (now downgraded)

Post by Kenr6583 » August 28, 2020, 8:14 am

For the most part we were spared here in Texas of what could have been a much worse situation. I'm a little over 30 miles north of Galveston, no rain no wind. Houston came out unscathed, can't say the same for Louisiana or Orange.

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