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Hurricane Harvey: What Happened and What’s Next Hurricane Harvey: What Happened and What’s Next
(about 4 hours later)
Overwhelmed by the news from Texas and Louisiana since Hurricane Harvey made landfall? Here is an overview of coverage by The New York Times that will be updated as events continue.Overwhelmed by the news from Texas and Louisiana since Hurricane Harvey made landfall? Here is an overview of coverage by The New York Times that will be updated as events continue.
The latest can be found in Wednesday’s live storm briefing.The latest can be found in Wednesday’s live storm briefing.
At least 30 deaths and many more injuries are believed to be related to the storm, which has inundated parts of the Houston area with more than 40 inches of rain. In some places, totals have surpassed 50 inches, setting a record for the continental United States. At least a quarter of the land mass of Harris County, which includes Houston, is flooded, according to Jeffrey Lindner, a meteorologist for the Harris County Flood Control District. Local officials blame at least 31 deaths and many more injuries on the storm, which has inundated parts of the Houston area with more than three feet of rain. In some places, totals surpassed 50 inches, setting a record for the continental United States. And, in Harris County, which includes Houston, up to 30 percent of the land had flooded, according to Jeffrey Lindner, a meteorologist for the Harris County Flood Control District.
Harvey is now hitting Louisiana, too, and storm surge alerts are in effect along hundreds of miles of coastline from Port Bolivar, Tex., to Morgan City, La. Here are some maps of its path and destruction. While the storm began to release Houston from its grip on Wednesday, it continued to wreak havoc east of the city: “Our whole city is underwater,” Derrick Freeman, the mayor of Port Arthur, Texas, said on Facebook early Wednesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, calling the storm “one of the largest disasters America has ever faced,” said the region would not recover anytime soon. The flooding was so devastating that even the people who describe weather for a living struggled to convey its scope. More than a trillion gallons of rain fell in Harris County in four days — enough to “run Niagara Falls for 15 days,” Mr. Lindner said. Harvey is now hitting southwestern Louisiana, too, where storm surge warnings and watches are in effect. Here are some maps of its path and destruction.
Some residents grappled with whether to stay in their homes, after Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston made the difficult decision not to issue a mandatory evacuation order. On Tuesday evening, Mr. Turner announced a curfew from midnight to 5 a.m. As the storm strengthened over the weekend, experts at the National Hurricane Center raced to warn the public of what was to come and grappled with how to convey its scope. More than a trillion gallons of rain fell in Harris County in four days — enough to “run Niagara Falls for 15 days,” Mr. Lindner said.
Houston’s hospitals struggled to treat victims, and the upheaval closed schools across Texas. The brutal storm also put the brakes on the area’s recent economic upswing and revealed vulnerabilities for the oil and gas industries. Officials sought to reassure undocumented immigrants that immigration enforcement would not be conducted at shelters and Houston’s hospitals struggled to treat victims. The brutal storm also put the brakes on the area’s recent economic upswing and revealed vulnerabilities for the oil and gas industries.
Here are some of the most powerful photos of the devastation. If you can do so safely, please share your own photos and videos here, or leave us a voice mail message. And listen to Tuesday’s episode of “The Daily” podcast to hear from some people who fled the storm. Here are some of the most powerful photos of the devastation and a before-and-after look at the storm’s impact. If you can do so safely, please share your own photos and videos here, or leave us a voice mail message. And listen to Tuesday’s episode of “The Daily” podcast to hear from some people who fled the storm.
Emergency dispatchers were overwhelmed over the weekend as dramatic rescues unfolded across the state. Many people shared an image of nursing home residents in waist-high waters before they were rescued. Clifford Krauss, a Times reporter, filed a dispatch from his own flooded house. The rescues continued on Monday and Tuesday, and some people went to great lengths to take their pets with them to safety. Overwhelmed emergency responders were aided by a massive volunteer rescue effort that operated with little official direction. In some cases, state troopers even referred some requests for help to civilians.
President Trump visited Texas on Tuesday after signing a federal disaster proclamation over the weekend. President Trump visited Corpus Christi on Tuesday to survey some of the damage and demonstrate a commitment to the recovery effort in the state.
Houston opened its convention center as a mass shelter, as did Dallas. On Tuesday evening, the mayor of Houston announced that the Toyota Center, an 18,000-seat indoor arena, would open to relieve the pressure on the convention center. Tens of thousands of people are in shelters. In San Antonio and in Houston, some of them spoke to Times reporters about their fears for what awaited them back home. On Tuesday evening, the mayor of Houston also announced that the Toyota Center, an 18,000-seat indoor arena, would open to relieve the pressure on the convention center. Tens of thousands of people were in shelters. In San Antonio and in Houston, some of them spoke to Times reporters about their fears for what awaited them back home.
In comments on our storm coverage, Times readers shared their shock, sympathy and encouragement for those awaiting rescue. Times readers shared their shock, sympathy and encouragement for those awaiting rescue.
What set Harvey apart was its rain. Once the storm made landfall, it essentially stalled, turning roads in Houston and elsewhere into raging rivers. Scientists say it was fueled by a deadly combination of environmental factors.What set Harvey apart was its rain. Once the storm made landfall, it essentially stalled, turning roads in Houston and elsewhere into raging rivers. Scientists say it was fueled by a deadly combination of environmental factors.
“This event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced,” the National Weather Service tweeted Sunday morning.
For many people, the images of inundated streets and victims plucked from rooftops evoked comparisons to Hurricane Katrina. In New Orleans, survivors of Katrina saw themselves in the scenes from Houston.For many people, the images of inundated streets and victims plucked from rooftops evoked comparisons to Hurricane Katrina. In New Orleans, survivors of Katrina saw themselves in the scenes from Houston.
Many organizations are helping victims on the ground. Here are a few of them; a fuller list can be found here.Many organizations are helping victims on the ground. Here are a few of them; a fuller list can be found here.
• The Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund was established by Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston and is administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.• The Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund was established by Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston and is administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.
• The Houston Food Bank, the Galveston County Food Bank and the Food Bank of Corpus Christi are accepting online donations.• The Houston Food Bank, the Galveston County Food Bank and the Food Bank of Corpus Christi are accepting online donations.
• The Houston Humane Society and the San Antonio Humane Society are helping animals affected by the storm.• The Houston Humane Society and the San Antonio Humane Society are helping animals affected by the storm.
• Save the Children is accepting donations.• Save the Children is accepting donations.
Some scams are circulating online. Here are a few things to watch out for.Some scams are circulating online. Here are a few things to watch out for.