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| Hurricane Harvey: Texas battered by 'marathon' storm amid flooding fears – latest updates | Hurricane Harvey: Texas battered by 'marathon' storm amid flooding fears – latest updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.10pm BST | |
| 19:10 | |
| Abbott says he has waived hotel occupancy taxes for evacuees and first responders. | |
| A voluntary evacuation ordered has been issued for Brazos river region and a mandatory one for San Bernard. | |
| As he is speaking, AP reports that the National Hurricane Center has downgraded Harvey from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.11pm BST | |
| 7.09pm BST | |
| 19:09 | |
| He warns the public to be observant of rising water and notes that it could be far deeper than it seems or the current far stronger. | |
| He talks about meeting evacuees from Corpus Christi. “They were happy to be alive ... but also concerned about what they had left behind, about the possibility that they had lost or would be losing the place they lived, or their property.” | |
| He says he has increased the number of counties covered by the state disaster declaration and says the federal declaration issued by Donald Trump was extremely fast and important. | |
| 7.06pm BST | |
| 19:06 | |
| Texas governor Greg Abbott has begun his press conference on the hurricane. | |
| He says his primary concern remains “dramatic flooding”. | |
| Our biggest concern is the possibility of 2-30 more inches of rain on top of what has already fallen in the area between Corpus Christi and Houston. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.07pm BST | |
| 7.01pm BST | |
| 19:01 | |
| Texas governor Greg Abbott will be giving a press conference on the hurricane shortly in Austin, the state capital. You can watch it live here. | |
| 6.29pm BST | 6.29pm BST |
| 18:29 | 18:29 |
| Trump's proposed cuts to Fema | Trump's proposed cuts to Fema |
| Donald Trump proposed a 2018 budget in May that included severe cuts to social safety net programmes – and a $667m cut in funding for Fema, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is in charge of disaster response. | Donald Trump proposed a 2018 budget in May that included severe cuts to social safety net programmes – and a $667m cut in funding for Fema, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is in charge of disaster response. |
| Trump’s budget stands no chance of becoming law in its current form and is in some senses an opening bid – the final federal budget for 2018 will be passed by Congress. | Trump’s budget stands no chance of becoming law in its current form and is in some senses an opening bid – the final federal budget for 2018 will be passed by Congress. |
| And $667m may be a relatively small cut to a Fema budget for 2017 of $16.2bn. | And $667m may be a relatively small cut to a Fema budget for 2017 of $16.2bn. |
| Nevertheless the programmes Trump wants to cut – such as the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program which is supposed to help states and local communities prepare for future disasters – will be missed by the states that use them. | Nevertheless the programmes Trump wants to cut – such as the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program which is supposed to help states and local communities prepare for future disasters – will be missed by the states that use them. |
| “These cuts would cost the district close to $30m,” Brian Baker, director of Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Washington DC, told the New York Times in July. The office of the New York mayor, Bill de Blasio, also lamented the millions that would be lost, including in grants for counter-terrorism. | “These cuts would cost the district close to $30m,” Brian Baker, director of Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Washington DC, told the New York Times in July. The office of the New York mayor, Bill de Blasio, also lamented the millions that would be lost, including in grants for counter-terrorism. |
| But there was more enthusiasm for Brock Long, former Emergency Management Agency director for Alabama chosen by Trump to be Fema director. | But there was more enthusiasm for Brock Long, former Emergency Management Agency director for Alabama chosen by Trump to be Fema director. |
| Kristy Dahl, a climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told the Guardian: “[Long] is certainly well qualified for the job and he was one of the rare appointments by the Trump administration that was widely hailed as reasonable and appointing someone with appropriate experience to the job.” | Kristy Dahl, a climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told the Guardian: “[Long] is certainly well qualified for the job and he was one of the rare appointments by the Trump administration that was widely hailed as reasonable and appointing someone with appropriate experience to the job.” |
| “Brock has relationships with state emergency managers across the country. He can put himself in their shoes,” Art Faulkner, the current director of the Alabama agency, told the New York Times. “He knows what we go through in dealing with these issues.” | “Brock has relationships with state emergency managers across the country. He can put himself in their shoes,” Art Faulkner, the current director of the Alabama agency, told the New York Times. “He knows what we go through in dealing with these issues.” |
| Here are the full details of the Fema cuts proposed by Trump in his “budget blueprint”: | Here are the full details of the Fema cuts proposed by Trump in his “budget blueprint”: |
| Eliminates or reduces State and local grant funding by $667 million for programs administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that are either unauthorized by the Congress, such as FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, or that must provide more measurable results and ensure the Federal Government is not supplanting other stakeholders’ responsibilities, such as the Homeland Security Grant Program. For that reason, the Budget also proposes establishing a 25 percent non-Federal cost match for FEMA preparedness grant awards that currently require no cost match. This is the same cost-sharing approach as FEMA’s disaster recovery grants. The activities and acquisitions funded through these grant programs are primarily State and local functions. | Eliminates or reduces State and local grant funding by $667 million for programs administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that are either unauthorized by the Congress, such as FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, or that must provide more measurable results and ensure the Federal Government is not supplanting other stakeholders’ responsibilities, such as the Homeland Security Grant Program. For that reason, the Budget also proposes establishing a 25 percent non-Federal cost match for FEMA preparedness grant awards that currently require no cost match. This is the same cost-sharing approach as FEMA’s disaster recovery grants. The activities and acquisitions funded through these grant programs are primarily State and local functions. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.35pm BST | at 6.35pm BST |
| 5.50pm BST | 5.50pm BST |
| 17:50 | 17:50 |
| Texas officials say they are evacuating about 4,500 inmates from three state prisons in Brazoria County south of Houston because the nearby Brazos river is rising from Hurricane Harvey’s heavy rain, the Associated Press reports. | Texas officials say they are evacuating about 4,500 inmates from three state prisons in Brazoria County south of Houston because the nearby Brazos river is rising from Hurricane Harvey’s heavy rain, the Associated Press reports. |
| The Department of Criminal Justice says inmates from the Ramsey, Terrell, and Stringfellow units in Rosharon are being taken by bus to other prisons in east Texas. | The Department of Criminal Justice says inmates from the Ramsey, Terrell, and Stringfellow units in Rosharon are being taken by bus to other prisons in east Texas. |
| Additional food and water has been delivered to the prisons receiving the displaced inmates. | Additional food and water has been delivered to the prisons receiving the displaced inmates. |
| Worst I saw during short drive along Brazos River were these homes near Mann Lake. These yards frequently flood though. pic.twitter.com/CzA0F6ffIm | Worst I saw during short drive along Brazos River were these homes near Mann Lake. These yards frequently flood though. pic.twitter.com/CzA0F6ffIm |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.36pm BST | at 6.36pm BST |
| 5.42pm BST | 5.42pm BST |
| 17:42 | 17:42 |
| Tom Dart | Tom Dart |
| Tom Dart is reporting from Houston, where there are fears of disastrous sustained flooding in the country’s fourth-largest city. | Tom Dart is reporting from Houston, where there are fears of disastrous sustained flooding in the country’s fourth-largest city. |
| More than 300,000 people across Texas were without electricity early on Saturday as Hurricane Harvey trundled inland and threatened to stall, setting up for several days of heavy rainfall that could tally 40 inches by Wednesday in some spots. | More than 300,000 people across Texas were without electricity early on Saturday as Hurricane Harvey trundled inland and threatened to stall, setting up for several days of heavy rainfall that could tally 40 inches by Wednesday in some spots. |
| Dozens of Houston-area roads were reported flooded on Saturday. At 10am, Houston’s airports announced 380 flight cancellations at George Bush Intercontinental and 114 at Hobby, though a break in bad weather allowed departures to resume at Bush. | Dozens of Houston-area roads were reported flooded on Saturday. At 10am, Houston’s airports announced 380 flight cancellations at George Bush Intercontinental and 114 at Hobby, though a break in bad weather allowed departures to resume at Bush. |
| Brock Long, the recently appointed administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), said on Twitter that the storm was transitioning into a “deadly inland event”. | Brock Long, the recently appointed administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), said on Twitter that the storm was transitioning into a “deadly inland event”. |
| Citizens of TX, this is now turning into a deadly inland event. Thoughts and prayers are with you. https://t.co/2qqTnl1Anj | Citizens of TX, this is now turning into a deadly inland event. Thoughts and prayers are with you. https://t.co/2qqTnl1Anj |
| In a Saturday morning update, the National Hurricane Center said that though winds had slowed to a maximum of 80mph, Harvey was “moving slowly over Texas producing torrential rains … catastrophic flooding expected over the next few days”. | In a Saturday morning update, the National Hurricane Center said that though winds had slowed to a maximum of 80mph, Harvey was “moving slowly over Texas producing torrential rains … catastrophic flooding expected over the next few days”. |
| Houston, about 200 miles northeast of where Harvey made landfall, began seeing wind and rain from the storm on Friday. It is notoriously flood-prone and more than 6.5 million people live in its metropolitan area, though officials decided against ordering a mass evacuation. Levels in the city’s bayous were on the increase, giving rise to the prospect that they would burst their banks and water would inundate surrounding streets if the rain continued as predicted. | Houston, about 200 miles northeast of where Harvey made landfall, began seeing wind and rain from the storm on Friday. It is notoriously flood-prone and more than 6.5 million people live in its metropolitan area, though officials decided against ordering a mass evacuation. Levels in the city’s bayous were on the increase, giving rise to the prospect that they would burst their banks and water would inundate surrounding streets if the rain continued as predicted. |
| Happening now in #Houston: some roads flooded - this is near busy 69 freeway #hurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/KWh09LUuez | Happening now in #Houston: some roads flooded - this is near busy 69 freeway #hurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/KWh09LUuez |
| Traffic was light in Houston on Saturday and many stores were closed, though an exception was a doughnut shop in the suburb of Katy, where Don Mach and his Keeshond dog, Bo, were having breakfast. Mach said he was “very concerned” about Harvey. “We got five-and-a-half inches of rain last night. That came down probably in about four hours,” the 70-year-old said. “That water can only go so many places.” | Traffic was light in Houston on Saturday and many stores were closed, though an exception was a doughnut shop in the suburb of Katy, where Don Mach and his Keeshond dog, Bo, were having breakfast. Mach said he was “very concerned” about Harvey. “We got five-and-a-half inches of rain last night. That came down probably in about four hours,” the 70-year-old said. “That water can only go so many places.” |
| Oil companies began shutting down operations in and along the Gulf in anticipation of the storm, and gas prices rose. | Oil companies began shutting down operations in and along the Gulf in anticipation of the storm, and gas prices rose. |
| Economic impact aside, there is anxiety that an unfavourable storm track could result in an environmental tragedy should Harvey provoke flooding that impacts the region’s vast refining and petrochemical facilities and unleashes toxic discharges that spill into adjacent communities or Galveston Bay. | Economic impact aside, there is anxiety that an unfavourable storm track could result in an environmental tragedy should Harvey provoke flooding that impacts the region’s vast refining and petrochemical facilities and unleashes toxic discharges that spill into adjacent communities or Galveston Bay. |
| Juan Parras, an environmental campaigner in east Houston, said he was worried that severe flooding or a storm surge could cause leaks or dislodge chemical tanks. “When they move off their concrete base all that oil, whatever’s in those tanks, just goes out into the community and we have a lot of tanks here. We have almost a 52-mile stretch of nothing but refineries and oil tanks,” he said. | Juan Parras, an environmental campaigner in east Houston, said he was worried that severe flooding or a storm surge could cause leaks or dislodge chemical tanks. “When they move off their concrete base all that oil, whatever’s in those tanks, just goes out into the community and we have a lot of tanks here. We have almost a 52-mile stretch of nothing but refineries and oil tanks,” he said. |
| The neighbourhoods closest to the plants are some of the least-affluent and most-polluted in the region. “The worst off will be hit the hardest,” Parras said. | The neighbourhoods closest to the plants are some of the least-affluent and most-polluted in the region. “The worst off will be hit the hardest,” Parras said. |
| Numbers of injuries and fatalities in the wider area were not clear on Saturday. | Numbers of injuries and fatalities in the wider area were not clear on Saturday. |
| Corpus Christi police said that road debris and downed power lines were widespread and that an alleged intruder was taken to hospital after being shot by a homeowner. Hundreds of people headed to shelters set up away from the coast. The city of Victoria, 30 miles inland, was also badly hit. | Corpus Christi police said that road debris and downed power lines were widespread and that an alleged intruder was taken to hospital after being shot by a homeowner. Hundreds of people headed to shelters set up away from the coast. The city of Victoria, 30 miles inland, was also badly hit. |
| Harvey is the first major natural disaster of Donald Trump’s administration. Trump’s proposed federal budget calls for cuts of $667m to Fema’s funding, but the president was eager to give the impression that he was ready for the challenge. He issued a slew of tweets about the storm. “Closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David. We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs. working great together!” he wrote on Saturday. A day earlier Trump said he signed a disaster declaration to speed Texas’ access to federal help. | Harvey is the first major natural disaster of Donald Trump’s administration. Trump’s proposed federal budget calls for cuts of $667m to Fema’s funding, but the president was eager to give the impression that he was ready for the challenge. He issued a slew of tweets about the storm. “Closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David. We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs. working great together!” he wrote on Saturday. A day earlier Trump said he signed a disaster declaration to speed Texas’ access to federal help. |
| Coastal areas remained vulnerable to storm surge on Saturday while the storm risked spawning isolated tornadoes. One was reported to have struck the Houston suburb of Missouri City early on Saturday, ripping the roofs off dozens of homes. | Coastal areas remained vulnerable to storm surge on Saturday while the storm risked spawning isolated tornadoes. One was reported to have struck the Houston suburb of Missouri City early on Saturday, ripping the roofs off dozens of homes. |
| In Louisiana, preparations were underway in New Orleans as a precaution. Despite billions of dollars spent on rebuilding and protecting the city since it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, heavy rain earlier this month caused flooding that exposed problems with its drainage system. | In Louisiana, preparations were underway in New Orleans as a precaution. Despite billions of dollars spent on rebuilding and protecting the city since it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, heavy rain earlier this month caused flooding that exposed problems with its drainage system. |
| Just boarded last flight of the day from #Houston to #Seattle. Everything else cancelled. Never happier to be headed home. #HurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/bXAVTounYx | Just boarded last flight of the day from #Houston to #Seattle. Everything else cancelled. Never happier to be headed home. #HurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/bXAVTounYx |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.08pm BST | at 6.08pm BST |
| 5.19pm BST | 5.19pm BST |
| 17:19 | 17:19 |
| Accuweather meterologist Reed Timmer posts these clips of serious flooding south of Rockport: | Accuweather meterologist Reed Timmer posts these clips of serious flooding south of Rockport: |
| Second floor of home with walls and roof gone just south of Rockport, TX from Hurricane #Harvey @breakingweather pic.twitter.com/RHXxcaGUkI | Second floor of home with walls and roof gone just south of Rockport, TX from Hurricane #Harvey @breakingweather pic.twitter.com/RHXxcaGUkI |
| Major flooding is blocking business 35 south of Rockport, TX. Search and rescue teams combing through rubble @breakingweather #Harvey pic.twitter.com/R2Kh95gI0s | Major flooding is blocking business 35 south of Rockport, TX. Search and rescue teams combing through rubble @breakingweather #Harvey pic.twitter.com/R2Kh95gI0s |
| 4.35pm BST | 4.35pm BST |
| 16:35 | 16:35 |
| Here’s an image of Hurricane Harvey over Texas from the National Weather Service: | Here’s an image of Hurricane Harvey over Texas from the National Weather Service: |
| 1415Z GOES-East visible #satellite image of #HurricaneHarvey over #Texas. pic.twitter.com/2yRW2pe0Ha | 1415Z GOES-East visible #satellite image of #HurricaneHarvey over #Texas. pic.twitter.com/2yRW2pe0Ha |
| 4.34pm BST | 4.34pm BST |
| 16:34 | 16:34 |
| The National Hurricane Center, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is warning of “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” across the middle and upper Texas coast from now until Thursday. | The National Hurricane Center, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is warning of “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” across the middle and upper Texas coast from now until Thursday. |
| The area could see rainfall of 15 to 30 inches, with isolated maximums of 40 inches, the agency warns. | The area could see rainfall of 15 to 30 inches, with isolated maximums of 40 inches, the agency warns. |
| In addition, the flooding will be slow to recede “due to the slow motion of Harvey and a prolonged period of onshore flow”. | In addition, the flooding will be slow to recede “due to the slow motion of Harvey and a prolonged period of onshore flow”. |
| Here are the key messages for #Hurricane #Harvey for the 10 am CDT advisory. https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/2BlWar7MMU | Here are the key messages for #Hurricane #Harvey for the 10 am CDT advisory. https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/2BlWar7MMU |