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| Hurricane Harvey: Texas braces for category two storm | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Texas is bracing itself for Hurricane Harvey - the worst storm to hit the US mainland in 12 years. | Texas is bracing itself for Hurricane Harvey - the worst storm to hit the US mainland in 12 years. |
| The category-two hurricane, currently in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to make landfall along the state's central coast on Friday night. | The category-two hurricane, currently in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to make landfall along the state's central coast on Friday night. |
| The National Hurricane Center said storm surges may bring life-threatening floods to Houston and surrounding area. | The National Hurricane Center said storm surges may bring life-threatening floods to Houston and surrounding area. |
| The storm has the potential for up to 3ft of rain, 130mph (210km/h) winds and 12ft storm surges, say forecasters. | The storm has the potential for up to 3ft of rain, 130mph (210km/h) winds and 12ft storm surges, say forecasters. |
| Harvey - which has been gaining strength - will also strike at the heart of Texas's oil refining industry. | Harvey - which has been gaining strength - will also strike at the heart of Texas's oil refining industry. |
| Meteorologists are warning of extremely high volumes of rainfall as the storm "meanders" over the middle Texas coast. | |
| They say Harvey may remain in the area dumping rain until the middle of next week. | |
| Energy companies have been evacuating staff from offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. | Energy companies have been evacuating staff from offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Texan oil refineries on land are also shutting down in preparation for the storm. | Texan oil refineries on land are also shutting down in preparation for the storm. |
| As a result, US fuel prices have reached a three week-high. | As a result, US fuel prices have reached a three week-high. |
| Texas Governor Greg Abbot has declared a state of emergency in 30 counties. | Texas Governor Greg Abbot has declared a state of emergency in 30 counties. |
| More than 700 members of the Texas Army and Air National Guards have been activated. | More than 700 members of the Texas Army and Air National Guards have been activated. |
| "Now is the time to urgently hide from the wind," the National Weather Service said in a bulletin. | "Now is the time to urgently hide from the wind," the National Weather Service said in a bulletin. |
| "Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury, loss of life or immense human suffering." | "Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury, loss of life or immense human suffering." |
| Joe McComb, mayor of Corpus Christi, a coastal town, urged householders to take the warnings seriously and evacuate low-lying areas. | Joe McComb, mayor of Corpus Christi, a coastal town, urged householders to take the warnings seriously and evacuate low-lying areas. |
| "I hope people will listen to forecasters when they say 'beware of flash floods," he said. "Flash floods can come quickly, and they can be deadly." | "I hope people will listen to forecasters when they say 'beware of flash floods," he said. "Flash floods can come quickly, and they can be deadly." |
| Mandatory evacuations have been issued in some coastal areas. | |
| According to the National Hurricane Center, the wind speed is currently almost 110mph, though gusts are even stronger. | According to the National Hurricane Center, the wind speed is currently almost 110mph, though gusts are even stronger. |
| Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi has flown at least 10 babies from its neonatal intensive care unit to hospitals further inland, due to fear of power failures. | Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi has flown at least 10 babies from its neonatal intensive care unit to hospitals further inland, due to fear of power failures. |
| If it does make landfall as a category-three storm, it will be the strongest storm to hit the US since October 2005, when Hurricane Wilma struck the coast of Florida. | If it does make landfall as a category-three storm, it will be the strongest storm to hit the US since October 2005, when Hurricane Wilma struck the coast of Florida. |
| Wilma left 87 people dead, and was part of a record-breaking hurricane season that included Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and killed nearly 2,000 people in August of that year. | Wilma left 87 people dead, and was part of a record-breaking hurricane season that included Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and killed nearly 2,000 people in August of that year. |
| Are you in the region? How are you preparing for Hurricane Harvey? If you have any information to share with the BBC, you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the region? How are you preparing for Hurricane Harvey? If you have any information to share with the BBC, you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |