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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/aug/28/ex-hurricane-harvey-houston-flooded-as-catastrophe-unfolds-in-texas-latest-updates
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Next version
| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Ex-hurricane Harvey: Houston flooded as catastrophe unfolds in Texas – latest updates | Ex-hurricane Harvey: Houston flooded as catastrophe unfolds in Texas – latest updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.53am BST | |
| 06:53 | |
| Military begins water release earlier than planned | |
| The Army Corps of Engineers has just begun releasing water from two major reservoirs around Houston much earlier than planned. Just before 12.30am, it opened the Addicks and Barker reservoirs as part of a plan to protect central Houston. Earlier, it said it would open Addicks at 2am and Barker 24 hours later. | |
| The move could flood several thousand homes and temporarily raise water levels in both directions along the Buffalo Bayou, a major waterway flowing through central Houston. | |
| See this interactive flood map for the latest evacuation orders. | |
| 6.42am BST | |
| 06:42 | |
| Impressive herding skills from the police. | |
| WATCH: Texas police move a massive herd of cattle to higher ground outside of Houston pic.twitter.com/e6Dz2Dkrlr | |
| 6.39am BST | |
| 06:39 | |
| Houston’s George R Brown convention center has opened as a shelter. It was also used as a shelter for 7,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees in 2005. | |
| Gillis Leho arrived there soaking wet. She said she awoke on Sunday to find her downstairs flooded. She tried to move some belongings upstairs, then grabbed her grandchildren. “When they told us the current was getting high, we had to bust a window to get out,” Leho said. | |
| William Cain sought shelter after water started coming inside his family’s apartment and they lost power. “I live in a lake where there was once dry land,” he said. | |
| Some people used inflatable beach toys, rubber rafts and even air mattresses to get through the water to safety. Others waded while carrying bin bags stuffed with their belongings, and small animals in cool boxes. | |
| 6.35am BST | |
| 06:35 | |
| The Associated Press has spoken to an 88-year-old woman who was rescued by her son and a friend after they pulled a boat through chest-deep water for a mile to reach her. | |
| “When I was younger, I used to wish I had a daughter, but I have the best son in the world,” said Marie Bartlett, the mother of Tom Bartlett. “In my 40 years here, I’ve never seen the water this high.” The water was halfway up the walls in her west Houston home when she was rescued. | |
| 6.20am BST | |
| 06:20 | |
| One indication of just how long-lived an event this is expected to be is that Houston’s school district has cancelled school all week. With the Labor Day holiday on 4 September, that means school will not resume until Tuesday 5 September. | |
| 6.14am BST | 6.14am BST |
| 06:14 | 06:14 |
| 6.04am BST | 6.04am BST |
| 06:04 | 06:04 |
| Summary | Summary |
| Catastrophic flooding is hitting Houston as ex-hurricane Harvey continues to stall onland. It has dumped as much as 26 inches (66cm) of rain in some counties in the past 72 hours and much more is expected through til Friday. | Catastrophic flooding is hitting Houston as ex-hurricane Harvey continues to stall onland. It has dumped as much as 26 inches (66cm) of rain in some counties in the past 72 hours and much more is expected through til Friday. |
| Thousands of people have fled to their rooftops or higher ground as rescuers struggled to keep up with calls for help. Houston emergency services have received nearly 6,000 appeals for rescues. The Coast Guard said it had rescued 1,200 people, of which 200 were from the air. | Thousands of people have fled to their rooftops or higher ground as rescuers struggled to keep up with calls for help. Houston emergency services have received nearly 6,000 appeals for rescues. The Coast Guard said it had rescued 1,200 people, of which 200 were from the air. |
| The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, has predicted that the aftermath of the storm would require the agency’s involvement for years. “This disaster’s going to be a landmark event,” Long said. | The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, has predicted that the aftermath of the storm would require the agency’s involvement for years. “This disaster’s going to be a landmark event,” Long said. |
| The US military plans to release water from two major reservoirs to protect central Houston, a move that could itself flood several thousands homes. Water is to be released from the Addicks reservoir from 2am on Monday and from the Barker Reservoir about 24 hours later, the Army Corps of Engineers said. | The US military plans to release water from two major reservoirs to protect central Houston, a move that could itself flood several thousands homes. Water is to be released from the Addicks reservoir from 2am on Monday and from the Barker Reservoir about 24 hours later, the Army Corps of Engineers said. |
| The release will push up the Buffalo Bayou – one of Houston’s major waterways – by up to 6 inches (15 cm) per hour. The bayou is already suffering catastrophic flooding in the west of the city, at more than 7ft above flooding point. | The release will push up the Buffalo Bayou – one of Houston’s major waterways – by up to 6 inches (15 cm) per hour. The bayou is already suffering catastrophic flooding in the west of the city, at more than 7ft above flooding point. |
| The tropical storm has strengthened slightly and there are fears it could return to the coast, where it would gather more power, before coming back to land. | The tropical storm has strengthened slightly and there are fears it could return to the coast, where it would gather more power, before coming back to land. |
| The damage bill is already drawing comparisons to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caused $108bn of losses (including $80bn of insured losses). | The damage bill is already drawing comparisons to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caused $108bn of losses (including $80bn of insured losses). |
| About 3,000 national and state guard member have been activated in Texas, and disaster relief crews have arrived from as far away as New York and South Colorado. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has deployed more than 1,800 staff. | About 3,000 national and state guard member have been activated in Texas, and disaster relief crews have arrived from as far away as New York and South Colorado. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has deployed more than 1,800 staff. |
| Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, has defended his decision not to evacuate the flood-prone city, saying he had “no regrets”. No one knew where the hurricane would go, so it was impossible to send people away from danger, Turner said. | Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, has defended his decision not to evacuate the flood-prone city, saying he had “no regrets”. No one knew where the hurricane would go, so it was impossible to send people away from danger, Turner said. |
| As of Sunday night, 54 counties in Texas have been declared state disaster areas by the governor, Greg Abbott. | As of Sunday night, 54 counties in Texas have been declared state disaster areas by the governor, Greg Abbott. |
| A Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund has been set up to take donations from the public. It will be administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Donations can be made via its site. | A Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund has been set up to take donations from the public. It will be administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Donations can be made via its site. |
| People have been urged not to return to Aransas County – where the hurricane hit – as emergency services continue the search for any missing people. The area has no water, power or communications. | People have been urged not to return to Aransas County – where the hurricane hit – as emergency services continue the search for any missing people. The area has no water, power or communications. |
| 5.34am BST | 5.34am BST |
| 05:34 | 05:34 |
| ABC Houston has frightening footage showing the rescue of two people from the Katy Freeway, one of the major thoroughfares feeding Houston from the west. | ABC Houston has frightening footage showing the rescue of two people from the Katy Freeway, one of the major thoroughfares feeding Houston from the west. |
| AMAZING RESCUE: A person was holding on to their car and trying to survive when two men saved him on the Katy Frwy https://t.co/pIUUByO9QM pic.twitter.com/42JevueFc3 | AMAZING RESCUE: A person was holding on to their car and trying to survive when two men saved him on the Katy Frwy https://t.co/pIUUByO9QM pic.twitter.com/42JevueFc3 |
| 5.22am BST | 5.22am BST |
| 05:22 | 05:22 |
| 5.20am BST | 5.20am BST |
| 05:20 | 05:20 |