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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tropical storm Harvey: Trump to survey Texas damage as more rain forecast - live | Tropical storm Harvey: Trump to survey Texas damage as more rain forecast - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.25pm BST | |
| 12:25 | |
| Rory Carroll | |
| The Guardian’s Rory Carroll has met some of the volunteers helping flooded Houston communities. | |
| John Brown brought his fishing boat, a battered 16ft skiff, and piloted it around submerged streets and avenues, seeking strangers to rescue. | |
| Dale Montalban brought his wetsuit and waded into the churning murk, escorting people to the boats and hauling their bags. | |
| Cassandra Luna bought a $9.95 life vest from Walmart and brought it in case someone, anyone, might need it. | |
| Read about them here. | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.26pm BST | |
| 12.19pm BST | |
| 12:19 | |
| Matthew Holmes | |
| We’ve been hearing from readers in affected areas about the impact of tropical storm Harvey. If it’s safe for you to do so, share your story, including pictures and video if you have them, by clicking on the GuardianWitness contribute buttons above, or via the form here. This helps us build a better picture of the full impact of the storm. | |
| Your safety is most important. Do not take any risks when recording or sharing your story | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.31pm BST | |
| 12.10pm BST | |
| 12:10 | |
| Experts say it could take Houston years to fully recover from Harvey. Read our news story here: | |
| 12.07pm BST | |
| 12:07 | |
| Benjamin Preston | |
| As Hurricane Harvey spins slowly over the Gulf coast, catastrophic flooding has forced tens of thousands from their homes in and near Houston. And with the storm moving into Louisiana, officials only expect the number of people whose lives are upended by it to increase. | |
| An executive order issued by Trump earlier this month revoked an Obama-era directive that had established flood-risk standards for federally funded infrastructure projects built in areas prone to flooding or subject to the effects of sea-level rise – like many of those now sinking in Texas. | |
| Houston already has some of the laxest building regulations for structures in potential flood zones and the president wants to spread that policy across the US. | |
| 12.02pm BST | |
| 12:02 | |
| In Houston, questions remain about why the mayor did not issue an evacuation order. | |
| Sylvester Turner has defended his decision, insisting that a mass evacuation of millions of people by car was a greater risk than enduring the storm. He said on Monday: | |
| Both the county judge and I sat down together and decided that we were not in direct path of the storm, of the hurricane, and the safest thing to do was for people to stay put, make the necessary preparations. | |
| I have no doubt that the decision we made was the right decision. Can you imagine if millions of people had left the city of Houston and then tried to come back in right now? | |
| By Monday night, 7,000 people had arrived at Houston’s largest shelter set up inside the George R. Brown Convention Center which originally had an estimated capacity of 5,000. | |
| According to meteorologists, sometime Tuesday or early Wednesday, parts of the Houston region will probably break the nearly 40-year-old US record for the biggest rainfall from a tropical storm - 48 inches set by Tropical Storm Amelia in 1978 in Texas. | |
| 11.51am BST | 11.51am BST |
| 11:51 | 11:51 |
| Crews overwhelmed by thousands of rescue calls have had little time to search for other potential victims of Hurricane Harvey, but officials believe the number of fatalities could soar once the floodwaters recede. | Crews overwhelmed by thousands of rescue calls have had little time to search for other potential victims of Hurricane Harvey, but officials believe the number of fatalities could soar once the floodwaters recede. |
| “We know in these kind of events that, sadly, the death toll goes up historically,” Houston police Chief Art Acevedo told the Associated Press (AP). “I’m really worried about how many bodies we’re going to find.” | “We know in these kind of events that, sadly, the death toll goes up historically,” Houston police Chief Art Acevedo told the Associated Press (AP). “I’m really worried about how many bodies we’re going to find.” |
| One Houston woman said Monday that she presumes six members of a family, including four of her grandchildren, died after their van sank into Greens Bayou in East Houston, though Houston emergency officials couldn’t confirm the deaths. | One Houston woman said Monday that she presumes six members of a family, including four of her grandchildren, died after their van sank into Greens Bayou in East Houston, though Houston emergency officials couldn’t confirm the deaths. |
| Virginia Saldivar told AP her brother-in-law was driving the van Sunday when a strong current took the vehicle over a bridge and into the bayou. The driver was able to get out and urged the children to escape through the back door, Saldivar said, but they could not. “I’m just hoping we find the bodies,” Saldivar said. | Virginia Saldivar told AP her brother-in-law was driving the van Sunday when a strong current took the vehicle over a bridge and into the bayou. The driver was able to get out and urged the children to escape through the back door, Saldivar said, but they could not. “I’m just hoping we find the bodies,” Saldivar said. |
| A spokeswoman for a Houston hotel said one of its employees disappeared while helping about 100 guests and workers evacuate the building amid rising floodwaters. | A spokeswoman for a Houston hotel said one of its employees disappeared while helping about 100 guests and workers evacuate the building amid rising floodwaters. |
| The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston. | The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years, said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, which was concerned that floodwater would spill around a pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston. |
| Rescuers continue to pluck people from inundated neighbourhoods. Mayor Sylvester Turner put the number by police at more than 3,000. The Coast Guard said it also had rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls per hour | Rescuers continue to pluck people from inundated neighbourhoods. Mayor Sylvester Turner put the number by police at more than 3,000. The Coast Guard said it also had rescued more than 3,000 by boat and air and was taking more than 1,000 calls per hour |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.53am BST | at 11.53am BST |
| 11.10am BST | 11.10am BST |
| 11:10 | 11:10 |
| Summary | Summary |
| Nadia Khomami | Nadia Khomami |
| Welcome to our continuing live coverage of the catastrophic floods in Texas, where nine people have already died and conditions are forecast to worsen. | Welcome to our continuing live coverage of the catastrophic floods in Texas, where nine people have already died and conditions are forecast to worsen. |
| President Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, are due to visit Corpus Christi and Austin on Tuesday, but not the worst hit area, Houston, over fears that the trip could hamper relief efforts. | President Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, are due to visit Corpus Christi and Austin on Tuesday, but not the worst hit area, Houston, over fears that the trip could hamper relief efforts. |
| Responding to the first natural disaster to test his presidency, Trump said on Monday that the cost of recovering from tropical storm Harvey would be “very expensive”, but pledged that “the federal government stands ready, willing and able to support that effort”. | Responding to the first natural disaster to test his presidency, Trump said on Monday that the cost of recovering from tropical storm Harvey would be “very expensive”, but pledged that “the federal government stands ready, willing and able to support that effort”. |
| Here is a summary of all the key information so far: | Here is a summary of all the key information so far: |
| Former Hurricane-turned-Tropical storm Harvey is regaining strength and continues to batter south-eastern Texas, with life-threatening floods surging through Houston. | Former Hurricane-turned-Tropical storm Harvey is regaining strength and continues to batter south-eastern Texas, with life-threatening floods surging through Houston. |
| Many homes have been flooded and thousands of people have sought emergency shelter from the wind and rains. Officials estimate that 30,000 residents are likely to need shelter. Houston’s George R Brown convention center has already exceeded its bed capacity of 5,000, and a location for a second major rescue hub is being sought. | Many homes have been flooded and thousands of people have sought emergency shelter from the wind and rains. Officials estimate that 30,000 residents are likely to need shelter. Houston’s George R Brown convention center has already exceeded its bed capacity of 5,000, and a location for a second major rescue hub is being sought. |
| At least nine people are reported to have been killed in the storm, including a family of six reportedly killed when their van was swept away, and a man who died on Monday night trying to swim through flooding. | At least nine people are reported to have been killed in the storm, including a family of six reportedly killed when their van was swept away, and a man who died on Monday night trying to swim through flooding. |
| An unknown number of people remain stranded in their homes awaiting rescue. Police, military and coast guard, along with volunteer teams, have taken to boats to try to reach those trapped, with some working through the night. Texas governor Greg Abbott has activated the entire state National Guard, tripling the number of active personnel from 4,000 to 12,000. | An unknown number of people remain stranded in their homes awaiting rescue. Police, military and coast guard, along with volunteer teams, have taken to boats to try to reach those trapped, with some working through the night. Texas governor Greg Abbott has activated the entire state National Guard, tripling the number of active personnel from 4,000 to 12,000. |
| There is expected to be no let-up in the storm’s intensity throughout Tuesday, with up to 20 inches (51cm) – and in some places 50 inches – of further rain forecast for the stricken region. The storm is also due to lash southern Louisiana, where a federal state of emergency has been declared. | There is expected to be no let-up in the storm’s intensity throughout Tuesday, with up to 20 inches (51cm) – and in some places 50 inches – of further rain forecast for the stricken region. The storm is also due to lash southern Louisiana, where a federal state of emergency has been declared. |
| On Monday, Trump defended his decision to announce a pardon for former sheriff Joe Arpaio as the hurricane struck on Friday, saying: “I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally.” | On Monday, Trump defended his decision to announce a pardon for former sheriff Joe Arpaio as the hurricane struck on Friday, saying: “I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally.” |
| The flood damage is expected to cost tens of billions and there are concerns for the longer-term health of people caught up in muddy floodwaters. | The flood damage is expected to cost tens of billions and there are concerns for the longer-term health of people caught up in muddy floodwaters. |
| Our latest news wrap is below: | Our latest news wrap is below: |
| Read more | Read more |
| Trump to face major test of presidency during visit to storm-battered Texas | Trump to face major test of presidency during visit to storm-battered Texas |
| In Houston’s Fort Bend County, an unlikely refuge from the storm | In Houston’s Fort Bend County, an unlikely refuge from the storm |
| Before and after: images show how Hurricane Harvey swamped Houston | Before and after: images show how Hurricane Harvey swamped Houston |
| Are you affected by Harvey? Share your story | Are you affected by Harvey? Share your story |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.15am BST | at 11.15am BST |