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| Hundreds feared cut off by floods as Harvey pushes east into Louisiana | Hundreds feared cut off by floods as Harvey pushes east into Louisiana |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of people were feared cut off by rising flood waters on Wednesday as tropical storm Harvey spared Houston overnight but moved east, inundating the industrial Texas cities of Beaumont and Port Arthur and making landfall for a second time, coming to shore in south-west Louisiana. | |
| There were reports by local officials of as many as 30 deaths. The toll was expected to rise. | There were reports by local officials of as many as 30 deaths. The toll was expected to rise. |
| In Port Arthur, near the coast, rescue teams struggled to reach desperate residents. | In Port Arthur, near the coast, rescue teams struggled to reach desperate residents. |
| “Hundreds, if not thousands of people are stranded because of high water,” Jeff Branick, a senior administrator in Jefferson County, told the Beaumont Enterprise. “There are people that have crawled into their attic, are on top of the cars because they were not physically able to get on to their roofs.” | “Hundreds, if not thousands of people are stranded because of high water,” Jeff Branick, a senior administrator in Jefferson County, told the Beaumont Enterprise. “There are people that have crawled into their attic, are on top of the cars because they were not physically able to get on to their roofs.” |
| Cots and belongings were abandoned on the floor of a civic centre in Port Arthur that was serving as a shelter for at least a hundred people when a foot of water rushed in, the Associated Press reported. Evacuees took to bleacher seats, while another shelter in Beaumont had reached its 600 capacity. | Cots and belongings were abandoned on the floor of a civic centre in Port Arthur that was serving as a shelter for at least a hundred people when a foot of water rushed in, the Associated Press reported. Evacuees took to bleacher seats, while another shelter in Beaumont had reached its 600 capacity. |
| The area, already enduring heavy rain before Harvey’s latest landfall, appeared overwhelmed by flash floods. | The area, already enduring heavy rain before Harvey’s latest landfall, appeared overwhelmed by flash floods. |
| “Our whole city is underwater right now but we are coming,” Port Arthur mayor Derrick Freeman posted on Facebook overnight. | “Our whole city is underwater right now but we are coming,” Port Arthur mayor Derrick Freeman posted on Facebook overnight. |
| More than 400,000 people live in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area, which is home to numerous industrial facilities, including the country’s largest oil refinery, which was shutting down because of conditions. | More than 400,000 people live in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area, which is home to numerous industrial facilities, including the country’s largest oil refinery, which was shutting down because of conditions. |
| “Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding continues in south-eastern Texas and portions of south-western Louisiana,” the National Hurricane Center warned in an advisory early on Wednesday. | “Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding continues in south-eastern Texas and portions of south-western Louisiana,” the National Hurricane Center warned in an advisory early on Wednesday. |
| The storm is forecast to weaken and track to the north-east, bringing rain to parts of Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky by early Saturday. A tropical storm warning was in effect for much of the Louisiana coast. | The storm is forecast to weaken and track to the north-east, bringing rain to parts of Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky by early Saturday. A tropical storm warning was in effect for much of the Louisiana coast. |
| Many roads were impassable along the Texas-Louisiana border. Beaumont police said in a statement on Tuesday that after driving into high water and becoming stuck, a woman floated for about half a mile, holding on to her small child. They were pulled into a boat by first responders who were able to save the child, who had hypothermia, but the woman died. | Many roads were impassable along the Texas-Louisiana border. Beaumont police said in a statement on Tuesday that after driving into high water and becoming stuck, a woman floated for about half a mile, holding on to her small child. They were pulled into a boat by first responders who were able to save the child, who had hypothermia, but the woman died. |
| The news was better in Houston, where a rare and welcome sight – blue – appeared on Tuesday afternoon. Residents of the country’s fourth-largest city also woke up, after a curfew period partly designed to guard against looting, to dry and sunny weather. | The news was better in Houston, where a rare and welcome sight – blue – appeared on Tuesday afternoon. Residents of the country’s fourth-largest city also woke up, after a curfew period partly designed to guard against looting, to dry and sunny weather. |
| But the situation remained dire. Many streets remain under water and some will be so for days, if not weeks. More shelters have opened to handle the swelling numbers of people seeking refuge and to ease the pressure on the biggest shelter, a downtown convention centre that was operating at double its intended 5,000 capacity. | But the situation remained dire. Many streets remain under water and some will be so for days, if not weeks. More shelters have opened to handle the swelling numbers of people seeking refuge and to ease the pressure on the biggest shelter, a downtown convention centre that was operating at double its intended 5,000 capacity. |