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Hurricane Harvey: 'Catastrophic and life threatening flooding' expected in Texas as up to 40 inches of rain fall is forecasted Hurricane Harvey: 'Catastrophic and life threatening flooding' expected in Texas as up to 40 inches of rain fall is forecasted
(about 2 hours later)
Hurricane Harvey has made landfall, stalling over the Texas coast and expected to cause "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding". Hurricane Harvey has made landfall, stalling over the Texas coast and expected to cause "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding". 
The National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center also predicted up to 40 inches (102 cm) of rainfall in some areas on the southeast coast. The National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center also predicted up to 40 inches (102 cm) of rainfall in some areas on the southeast coast. 
The hurricane hit Corpus Christi as a Category 4 with winds of up to 130 mph (209 kmh), but it has been downgraded to a Category 1 with sustained winds of 90 mph (145 kmh). The hurricane hit Corpus Christi as a Category 4 with winds of up to 130 mph (209 kmh), but it has been downgraded to a Category 1 with sustained winds of 90 mph (145 kmh). 
Despite the downgrade, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Brock Long called it a "deadly inland event" as the storm progressed through the night. Despite the downgrade, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Brock Long called it a "deadly inland event" as the storm progressed through the night. 
The major damage to schools, public building, and several homes seems to be in and around Rockport, Texas, a community of about 10,000 people just northeast of Corpus Christi. The major damage to schools, public building, and several homes seems to be in and around Rockport, Texas, a community of about 10,000 people just northeast of Corpus Christi.
Emergency personnel - which includes local and state authorities - in the coastal community say there’s broad damage to buildings.Emergency personnel - which includes local and state authorities - in the coastal community say there’s broad damage to buildings.
Rockport Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Sims told ABC News that early on 26 August that firefighters were hunkered down at the city’s fire station, but force to wait for conditions to improve to respond to 25 to 30 emergency calls. Rockport Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Sims told ABC News that early on 26 August that firefighters were hunkered down at the city’s fire station, but force to wait for conditions to improve to respond to 25 to 30 emergency calls. 
 "As soon as the weather permits us, the winds get anywhere reasonable. We have been working on lists trying to prioritize the calls that we have waiting." "As soon as the weather permits us, the winds get anywhere reasonable. We have been working on lists trying to prioritize the calls that we have waiting."
Residents of coastal cities and seven counties were urged to evacuate, but Rockport Mayor pro tem Patrick Rios warned: "if people are going to stay here, [they should] mark their arm with a Sharpie pen with their name and Social Security number."Residents of coastal cities and seven counties were urged to evacuate, but Rockport Mayor pro tem Patrick Rios warned: "if people are going to stay here, [they should] mark their arm with a Sharpie pen with their name and Social Security number."
"We hate to talk about things like that...It's not something we like to do but it’s the reality, people don’t listen," he said to ABC News. "We hate to talk about things like that...It's not something we like to do but it’s the reality, people don’t listen," he said to ABC News. 
In the afternoon of 26 August, Texas Governor Greg Abbott added 20 counties to the state's disaster declaration. 
He pledged "all available resources" to the affected counties for search and rescue efforts as well as other matters. 
There have been 338,000 power outages along the coast reported.
The mayor of Port Aransas, Texas Charles Bujan reported that eight people from his community died in the hurricane. A local trailer park experienced "100 per cent loss" according to the mayor, but it remains unclear at this time if all the reported deaths are from the park. 
The US Coast Guard has been continuously responding to distress calls from tugboats and other boats along the coast near Corpus Christie. They have dispatched at least two helicopter crews for assistance. 
The Texas Military Department had deployed approximately 700 members of the State Guard and National Guard to the coastal region just ahead of the storm as well. 
By mid-morning the hurricane had been downgraded to a Category 1, but rain and high winds continued to pummel the coast as the storm stalled over the area. 
Despite the downgrade, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Brock Long called it a "deadly inland event" as the storm progressed through the night.