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Next version
| Version 25 | Version 26 |
|---|---|
| Tropical storm Harvey: 30,000 people will need shelter after flooding in Texas - live | Tropical storm Harvey: 30,000 people will need shelter after flooding in Texas - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.14pm BST | |
| 17:14 | |
| Texas Governor Greg Abbott Activates entire state National Guard | |
| This triples the number of guardsman active in the state from about 4,000 to about 12,000. “It is imperative that we do everything possible to protect the lives and safety of people across the state of Texas as we continue to face the aftermath of this storm,” Abbott said. | |
| Guardsmen are expected to assist in the ongoing search and rescue efforts, and to be “heavily involved” in the recovery effort after the storm finally passes, according to the governor’s office. | |
| 5.07pm BST | |
| 17:07 | |
| Tom Dart | |
| After giving the city of Houston a welcome break for much of the early morning, the rain has returned - and hard, with some areas now seeing in excess of an inch in the past hour. It’s one of Harvey’s cruel tricks: a pause in precipitation gives rise to hopes that we may be coming towards the end of the worst, then the rain returns with a vengeance.It’s especially bad news for those living near bayous, where water levels had started to dip slightly in some places, and in the badly-hit neighborhoods to the west around Buffalo Bayou where the US Army Corps of engineers is making controlled releases of rapidly-rising reservoir water. One sensor along Buffalo Bayou close to downtown indicates that the water has risen to nine foot above the top of the bank. | |
| 5.02pm BST | |
| 17:02 | |
| Trump is Texas bound | |
| The White House is thought to be planning for a morning or mid afternoon Trump visit to Corpus Christi on Tuesday, about 200 miles Southwest of Houston. Trump is avoiding the hardest hit areas because of the challenges a presidential presents for local officials. First Lady Melania Trump is expected to accompany President Trump. | |
| 4.45pm BST | 4.45pm BST |
| 16:45 | 16:45 |
| As seen in the situation room? | As seen in the situation room? |
| Trump has used his Harvey meetings as product placement for hats he sells for $40 two days in a row now... pic.twitter.com/EQcPkS8Yit | Trump has used his Harvey meetings as product placement for hats he sells for $40 two days in a row now... pic.twitter.com/EQcPkS8Yit |
| 4.42pm BST | 4.42pm BST |
| 16:42 | 16:42 |
| Speaking with CNN, Democratic Texas Congressman Al Green, whose district was hard hit by Harvey, defended the Houston mayor’s decision not to order mandatory evacuations by raising the example of troubles the city faced during the 2005 evacuation for Hurricane Rita. | Speaking with CNN, Democratic Texas Congressman Al Green, whose district was hard hit by Harvey, defended the Houston mayor’s decision not to order mandatory evacuations by raising the example of troubles the city faced during the 2005 evacuation for Hurricane Rita. |
| With Rita we had maybe 2-3 million people out on the road. They were out there with heatstroke, people were out there literally fighting... People literally lost their lives while out on the road trying to get to another city... | With Rita we had maybe 2-3 million people out on the road. They were out there with heatstroke, people were out there literally fighting... People literally lost their lives while out on the road trying to get to another city... |
| The mayor has the resources here. Trying to get resources to people who are on the road, in cars, don’t know what the weather is going to be like, out of gas, it can be very difficult... | The mayor has the resources here. Trying to get resources to people who are on the road, in cars, don’t know what the weather is going to be like, out of gas, it can be very difficult... |
| I think the mayor made the right call. There will always be people who will second guess but if you had a million people out on the roads, trying to take care of them when your resources are here in Houston, it could be very difficult.” | I think the mayor made the right call. There will always be people who will second guess but if you had a million people out on the roads, trying to take care of them when your resources are here in Houston, it could be very difficult.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.43pm BST | at 4.43pm BST |
| 4.27pm BST | 4.27pm BST |
| 16:27 | 16:27 |
| A message from former President George HW Bush and Barbara Bush “to their fellow Houstonians and Texans” affected by tropical storm Harvey: | A message from former President George HW Bush and Barbara Bush “to their fellow Houstonians and Texans” affected by tropical storm Harvey: |
| “Barbara and I are in Maine, but our hearts are in Houston. We are praying for all of our fellow Houstonians and Texans affected by Harvey, and truly inspired by the flotilla of volunteers-- points of light all-- who are answering the call to help their neighbors. We salute them, the first responders, and the local elected officials for their grit and determination in the face of this extraordinary storm. This we know: Houston, and Texas, will come together and rebuild.” | “Barbara and I are in Maine, but our hearts are in Houston. We are praying for all of our fellow Houstonians and Texans affected by Harvey, and truly inspired by the flotilla of volunteers-- points of light all-- who are answering the call to help their neighbors. We salute them, the first responders, and the local elected officials for their grit and determination in the face of this extraordinary storm. This we know: Houston, and Texas, will come together and rebuild.” |
| 4.13pm BST | 4.13pm BST |
| 16:13 | 16:13 |
| There are 5,500 residents currently in shelters “and I suspect that number is going to rise,” Mayor Turner said. | There are 5,500 residents currently in shelters “and I suspect that number is going to rise,” Mayor Turner said. |
| “Things are dynamic. People who were not in crisis yesterday may be in crisis today.” | “Things are dynamic. People who were not in crisis yesterday may be in crisis today.” |
| 4.11pm BST | 4.11pm BST |
| 16:11 | 16:11 |
| “The goal is rescue. That’s the major focus for the day and that’s my directive,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in a Monday morning press conference who said the city has “more assets today” than yesterday. | “The goal is rescue. That’s the major focus for the day and that’s my directive,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in a Monday morning press conference who said the city has “more assets today” than yesterday. |
| The city’s 911 switchboard has fielded 75,000 emergency calls as of 9AM CDT this morning, according to officials. | The city’s 911 switchboard has fielded 75,000 emergency calls as of 9AM CDT this morning, according to officials. |
| Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says his department has completed the rescue of “2000 Houstonians and members of our community.” | Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says his department has completed the rescue of “2000 Houstonians and members of our community.” |
| Acevedo said 185 critical rescue requests are still pending and that his department’s goal “is to complete the rescues of all critical missions today.” | Acevedo said 185 critical rescue requests are still pending and that his department’s goal “is to complete the rescues of all critical missions today.” |
| Acevedo said four would-be looters have been arrested by his officers and added “the one thing you can be assured, if you try and take advantage of our citizens who have been victimized enough by mother nature,” you’ll be arrested. | Acevedo said four would-be looters have been arrested by his officers and added “the one thing you can be assured, if you try and take advantage of our citizens who have been victimized enough by mother nature,” you’ll be arrested. |
| 3.32pm BST | 3.32pm BST |
| 15:32 | 15:32 |
| We are expecting an official update on the storm and relief efforts from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Police Chief Art Acevedo any minute now. | We are expecting an official update on the storm and relief efforts from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Police Chief Art Acevedo any minute now. |
| 3.30pm BST | 3.30pm BST |
| 15:30 | 15:30 |
| If you’ve been affected by the storm, you can share your stories, pictures and video with us by using the blue ‘Contribute’ button at the top of this page or this form. Your stories will help our journalists develop a more complete picture of these events and we will use them in our reporting. | If you’ve been affected by the storm, you can share your stories, pictures and video with us by using the blue ‘Contribute’ button at the top of this page or this form. Your stories will help our journalists develop a more complete picture of these events and we will use them in our reporting. |
| Your safety is most important. Do not take any risks when recording or sharing your story. | Your safety is most important. Do not take any risks when recording or sharing your story. |
| 3.25pm BST | 3.25pm BST |
| 15:25 | 15:25 |
| By the numbers on Harvey in the Houston Metro Area: | By the numbers on Harvey in the Houston Metro Area: |
| 276 High water locations along major Houston-area roads | 276 High water locations along major Houston-area roads |
| 80,000 electricity customers without service | 80,000 electricity customers without service |
| 18 Helicopters used in rooftop rescue efforts | 18 Helicopters used in rooftop rescue efforts |
| 4,000 National and State Guard members activated to assist with storm aftermath (including an additional 1,000 called up Monday morning). | 4,000 National and State Guard members activated to assist with storm aftermath (including an additional 1,000 called up Monday morning). |
| Source: Houston Chronicle | Source: Houston Chronicle |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.28pm BST | at 3.28pm BST |
| 2.45pm BST | 2.45pm BST |
| 14:45 | 14:45 |
| The Harris County Flood Control District said that roadways running through the two reservoirs that have had water intentionally released “are underwater and will remain impassable for several weeks to several months”. | The Harris County Flood Control District said that roadways running through the two reservoirs that have had water intentionally released “are underwater and will remain impassable for several weeks to several months”. |
| According to our Tom Dart, these are important highways and will likely present residents with many weeks of disruption, diversions and heavy traffic as they try to put pieces back together in Harvey’s aftermath. | According to our Tom Dart, these are important highways and will likely present residents with many weeks of disruption, diversions and heavy traffic as they try to put pieces back together in Harvey’s aftermath. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.51pm BST | at 2.51pm BST |
| 2.19pm BST | 2.19pm BST |
| 14:19 | 14:19 |
| It's believed #Harvey has dumped 11 trillion gallons of water on the Houston metro area. | It's believed #Harvey has dumped 11 trillion gallons of water on the Houston metro area. |
| For our metric system readers, that is just shy of 42 trillion liters. Some parts of the area could receive as much as 50 inches (127cm). | For our metric system readers, that is just shy of 42 trillion liters. Some parts of the area could receive as much as 50 inches (127cm). |
| 1.50pm BST | 1.50pm BST |
| 13:50 | 13:50 |
| Louisiana now joins Texas with federal emergency status. | Louisiana now joins Texas with federal emergency status. |
| Trump approves emergency declaration in Louisiana. #HarveyRelief | Trump approves emergency declaration in Louisiana. #HarveyRelief |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.51pm BST | at 1.51pm BST |
| 1.44pm BST | 1.44pm BST |
| 13:44 | 13:44 |
| Tom Dart | Tom Dart |
| Rains have, at least in the short term, slowed in Houston giving residents a reprieve from the deluge, but as far as the flooding goes there’s no end in sight. Our Tom Dart has this from the city: | Rains have, at least in the short term, slowed in Houston giving residents a reprieve from the deluge, but as far as the flooding goes there’s no end in sight. Our Tom Dart has this from the city: |
| Dawn broke with the relatively good news that most places in the Houston area received less than an inch of rain over the previous six hours, with heavier rans to the east around the Texas-Louisiana border. | Dawn broke with the relatively good news that most places in the Houston area received less than an inch of rain over the previous six hours, with heavier rans to the east around the Texas-Louisiana border. |
| Still, the National Weather Service cautioned of “days of dangerous flooding potential ahead for parts of Texas and Louisiana” and rains were forecast to pick up again on Monday. | Still, the National Weather Service cautioned of “days of dangerous flooding potential ahead for parts of Texas and Louisiana” and rains were forecast to pick up again on Monday. |
| There were concerns that water levels are still rising in Fort Bend County, southwest of central Houston, with the Brazos River expected to crest on Tuesday afternoon or evening. | There were concerns that water levels are still rising in Fort Bend County, southwest of central Houston, with the Brazos River expected to crest on Tuesday afternoon or evening. |
| “A flood of this magnitude is an 800 year event and it exceeds the design specifications of our levees, and is potentially dangerous for a good portion of Fort Bend County. A fifty-nine foot river level threatens to overtop many of the levees in our area,” Robert Hebert, the county judge, said in a statement early on Monday. “As a result, I am ordering both voluntary and mandatory evacuations for many of the levee improvement districts along the Brazos River.” | “A flood of this magnitude is an 800 year event and it exceeds the design specifications of our levees, and is potentially dangerous for a good portion of Fort Bend County. A fifty-nine foot river level threatens to overtop many of the levees in our area,” Robert Hebert, the county judge, said in a statement early on Monday. “As a result, I am ordering both voluntary and mandatory evacuations for many of the levee improvement districts along the Brazos River.” |
| Flooding in the north of the county was also a risk as sharply-rising reservoir levels prompted the US Army Corps of Engineers to begin releasing water from two dams in far west Houston overnight in order to protect a large area of the city, but at the possible expense of neighbourhoods surrounding the dams and reservoirs. | Flooding in the north of the county was also a risk as sharply-rising reservoir levels prompted the US Army Corps of Engineers to begin releasing water from two dams in far west Houston overnight in order to protect a large area of the city, but at the possible expense of neighbourhoods surrounding the dams and reservoirs. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.42pm BST | at 2.42pm BST |