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| Texas cities brace for 'catastrophic flooding' under Hurricane Harvey | Texas cities brace for 'catastrophic flooding' under Hurricane Harvey |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hurricane Harvey smashed into Texas near the coastal town of Rockport overnight, leveling buildings and lashing low-lying areas with intense rain and winds up to 130mph. | Hurricane Harvey smashed into Texas near the coastal town of Rockport overnight, leveling buildings and lashing low-lying areas with intense rain and winds up to 130mph. |
| The category 4 storm weakened as it made landfall, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said, and by 5am on Saturday morning Harvey had dropped to category 1 with sustaining winds of 90mph. But it had already deposited more than 9in (22.8cm) of rain and experts said its heaviest rainfall was yet to come. | |
| The hurricane was expected to produce total rainfall of 15in (38.1cm) to 35in (88.9cm), with isolated pockets of 40in (101.6cm) through Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center said “rainfall of this magnitude will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flooding”. One expert said Harvey’s flooding could reach “depths of which we’ve never seen”. | The hurricane was expected to produce total rainfall of 15in (38.1cm) to 35in (88.9cm), with isolated pockets of 40in (101.6cm) through Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center said “rainfall of this magnitude will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flooding”. One expert said Harvey’s flooding could reach “depths of which we’ve never seen”. |
| Damage could not immediately be assessed, though no deaths were immediately reported. A local energy provider said more than 200,000 customers were without electricity at 6.30am local time. Melissa Munguia, emergency management coordinator in Nueces County, which includes the city of Corpus Christi, said it could be hours before crews could fully assess the damage. | Damage could not immediately be assessed, though no deaths were immediately reported. A local energy provider said more than 200,000 customers were without electricity at 6.30am local time. Melissa Munguia, emergency management coordinator in Nueces County, which includes the city of Corpus Christi, said it could be hours before crews could fully assess the damage. |
| In Rockport, city manager Kevin Carruth said a number of people had been taken to the county jail for assessment and treatment after the roof of a senior housing complex collapsed. | |
| “People are trapped inside at least one collapsed building,” Carruth told KIII-TV. “We can’t get rescue teams to them right now.” | “People are trapped inside at least one collapsed building,” Carruth told KIII-TV. “We can’t get rescue teams to them right now.” |
| Tens of thousands of residents fled inland, some under mandatory evacuation orders. As Harvey’s first force diminished, those who stayed behind braced for what forecasters predicted would be a life-threatening storm surge. Authorities told residents who decided to stay they should write their social security numbers on their forearms, to aide identification of their bodies. | Tens of thousands of residents fled inland, some under mandatory evacuation orders. As Harvey’s first force diminished, those who stayed behind braced for what forecasters predicted would be a life-threatening storm surge. Authorities told residents who decided to stay they should write their social security numbers on their forearms, to aide identification of their bodies. |
| Rockport mayor Charles Wax told the Weather Channel Harvey hit the town “right on the nose” and left “widespread devastation”. Homes and businesses were heavily damaged or completely destroyed, he said, and schools were also hit. Wax said the emergency response system for the city of about 10,000 people had been hampered by the loss of cellphone service and other communications. | Rockport mayor Charles Wax told the Weather Channel Harvey hit the town “right on the nose” and left “widespread devastation”. Homes and businesses were heavily damaged or completely destroyed, he said, and schools were also hit. Wax said the emergency response system for the city of about 10,000 people had been hampered by the loss of cellphone service and other communications. |
| State government concerns also focused on potential damage to more than 800 oil platforms and more than 100 refineries and terminals in the path of the storm. | State government concerns also focused on potential damage to more than 800 oil platforms and more than 100 refineries and terminals in the path of the storm. |
| In Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city, tornado and flash flood warnings were issued, deepening fears that sustained heavy rainfall could bring widespread flooding to a place nicknamed the “Bayou City”, after the number of rivers that run through it. One tornado was spotted south of the city. | In Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city, tornado and flash flood warnings were issued, deepening fears that sustained heavy rainfall could bring widespread flooding to a place nicknamed the “Bayou City”, after the number of rivers that run through it. One tornado was spotted south of the city. |
| We are not having a hurricane. We are having a rain event | We are not having a hurricane. We are having a rain event |
| Despite a suggestion at a Friday press conference from governor Greg Abbott that residents should consider leaving, officials had not called for an evacuation. | Despite a suggestion at a Friday press conference from governor Greg Abbott that residents should consider leaving, officials had not called for an evacuation. |
| “We are not having a hurricane,” said Judge Ed Emmett, the most senior elected official in Harris County, which encompasses Houston. “We are having a rain event.” | “We are not having a hurricane,” said Judge Ed Emmett, the most senior elected official in Harris County, which encompasses Houston. “We are having a rain event.” |
| As Harvey made landfall some 200 miles south-west of the city, the region saw wildly varying amounts of rain: from under 1in (2.5cm) in some places to 5in (12.7cm) and more elsewhere, according to the Harris County flood warning system. | As Harvey made landfall some 200 miles south-west of the city, the region saw wildly varying amounts of rain: from under 1in (2.5cm) in some places to 5in (12.7cm) and more elsewhere, according to the Harris County flood warning system. |
| Harvey’s looming threat to south-west Texas prompted an elaborate political response, with Donald Trump tweeting his support. On Saturday morning, the president tweeted that he was “closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David. We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs working great together!” | Harvey’s looming threat to south-west Texas prompted an elaborate political response, with Donald Trump tweeting his support. On Saturday morning, the president tweeted that he was “closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David. We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs working great together!” |
| Trump also praised his federal emergency management chief, Brock Long, telling him “you are doing a great job” – a choice of words that for some recalled George W Bush’s infamous remark to his emergency management director, Michael Brown, when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005: “You’re doing a heck of a job, Brownie.” | Trump also praised his federal emergency management chief, Brock Long, telling him “you are doing a great job” – a choice of words that for some recalled George W Bush’s infamous remark to his emergency management director, Michael Brown, when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005: “You’re doing a heck of a job, Brownie.” |
| Climate scientist Kristy Dahl told the Guardian that Long was a rare Trump appointment “widely hailed as reasonable and with appropriate experience to the job”. | Climate scientist Kristy Dahl told the Guardian that Long was a rare Trump appointment “widely hailed as reasonable and with appropriate experience to the job”. |
| The president’s attentiveness came after Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, warned him on Friday not to repeat Bush’s mistakes. Trump should “keep on top of hurricane Harvey”, Grassley tweeted, adding: “Dont mke same mistake Pres Bush made w Katrina.” | The president’s attentiveness came after Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, warned him on Friday not to repeat Bush’s mistakes. Trump should “keep on top of hurricane Harvey”, Grassley tweeted, adding: “Dont mke same mistake Pres Bush made w Katrina.” |
| Trump responded that he had received Grassley’s message “loud and clear. We have fantastic people on the ground, got there long before #Harvey. So far, so good!” | Trump responded that he had received Grassley’s message “loud and clear. We have fantastic people on the ground, got there long before #Harvey. So far, so good!” |
| Harvey is the fiercest hurricane to hit the US since 2005 and the strongest to strike Texas since Hurricane Carla in 1961, the most powerful in state records. Unlike most hurricanes, which tend to track swiftly up the seaboard before spinning out into the Atlantic, Harvey is expected to stall over Texas. | |
| Forecasters have said it could also backtrack, returning to warm Gulf of Mexico waters which provide fuel, then returning for a potential second drenching on Wednesday of what could be an already flooded Houston-Galveston area. | Forecasters have said it could also backtrack, returning to warm Gulf of Mexico waters which provide fuel, then returning for a potential second drenching on Wednesday of what could be an already flooded Houston-Galveston area. |
| Swells generated by Harvey were affecting the Texas, Louisiana and north-eastern Mexican coasts. In the Gulf of Mexico, cruise ships scheduled to arrive in Galveston, carrying 20,000 passengers, were delayed or directed to New Orleans. | Swells generated by Harvey were affecting the Texas, Louisiana and north-eastern Mexican coasts. In the Gulf of Mexico, cruise ships scheduled to arrive in Galveston, carrying 20,000 passengers, were delayed or directed to New Orleans. |
| In Houston, meanwhile, a conservation group warned residents to leave some displaced residents alone. | In Houston, meanwhile, a conservation group warned residents to leave some displaced residents alone. |
| “Alligators can not stay in fast moving floodwaters for long and seek slow water to ride out the storm,” The Gator Squad said in a statement. “If you see a gator during the storm, as long as its not in a road or knocking on your door leave it be until the storm passes.” | “Alligators can not stay in fast moving floodwaters for long and seek slow water to ride out the storm,” The Gator Squad said in a statement. “If you see a gator during the storm, as long as its not in a road or knocking on your door leave it be until the storm passes.” |