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In maps: Houston and Texas flooding | In maps: Houston and Texas flooding |
(35 minutes later) | |
Houston is battling to recover from devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, a category four storm which dumped a record breaking amount of rain on the city. | Houston is battling to recover from devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, a category four storm which dumped a record breaking amount of rain on the city. |
At least 33 people are known to have died across Texas, while thousands of people have fled their homes to emergency shelters. | At least 33 people are known to have died across Texas, while thousands of people have fled their homes to emergency shelters. |
The rainfall in Texas set a new record for the continental US, the National Weather Service has said. A rain gauge in Cedar Bayou recorded 51.88 inches (132 cm) of rain from Friday 25 August to Wednesday 30 August. | |
Imagery from the TerraSAR-X radar satellite shows the extent of flooding up to Monday 28 August. | Imagery from the TerraSAR-X radar satellite shows the extent of flooding up to Monday 28 August. |
The artificially blue-coloured areas show water detected before and after the storm. | The artificially blue-coloured areas show water detected before and after the storm. |
Police have rescued some 3,500 people from floodwater in the Houston area, and more than 32,000 people are being housed in emergency shelters across the state. | Police have rescued some 3,500 people from floodwater in the Houston area, and more than 32,000 people are being housed in emergency shelters across the state. |
In Houston, the George R Brown Convention Center, which has a 5,000 capacity, has sheltered up to 10,000 people forced from their homes. | |
Victims are now being sent to a new relief hub at the larger NRG Center. | Victims are now being sent to a new relief hub at the larger NRG Center. |
On Tuesday, televangelist Joel Osteen opened his 16,000 capacity Lakewood Church, after criticism that it was not initially accepting people seeking shelter. | On Tuesday, televangelist Joel Osteen opened his 16,000 capacity Lakewood Church, after criticism that it was not initially accepting people seeking shelter. |
Eyewitness: What is it like in Houston? | Eyewitness: What is it like in Houston? |
Houston's Mayor Sylvester Turner has requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) to shelter an additional 10,000 people. | Houston's Mayor Sylvester Turner has requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) to shelter an additional 10,000 people. |
Up to 500,000 people in Texas will ultimately require some form of assistance, federal officials estimate. | Up to 500,000 people in Texas will ultimately require some form of assistance, federal officials estimate. |
A curfew has been established in Houston from midnight-05:00 local time (05:00-10:00 GMT). | A curfew has been established in Houston from midnight-05:00 local time (05:00-10:00 GMT). |
The cost of reconstruction in Houston could be as high as $200bn, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas Dan Patrick has said. | The cost of reconstruction in Houston could be as high as $200bn, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas Dan Patrick has said. |
At least 50,000 homes are flooded in the Houston area, Texas officials say, with the figure expected to rise. | At least 50,000 homes are flooded in the Houston area, Texas officials say, with the figure expected to rise. |
At its peak, a third of Harris County, part of the Houston metropolitan area and home to 4.6 million people, was reportedly underwater - an area 15 times the size of Manhattan. | |
The Addicks and Barker reservoirs to the west of the city reached overflow levels, with engineers performing controlled releases of water into the Buffalo Bayou, which flows through central Houston. | The Addicks and Barker reservoirs to the west of the city reached overflow levels, with engineers performing controlled releases of water into the Buffalo Bayou, which flows through central Houston. |
More than 4,000 houses near the two reservoirs were flooded as waters backed up, the Houston Chronicle reported. | |
Bridges and roads have been damaged, but both of Houston's airports partially re-opened on Wednesday after several days closure. | Bridges and roads have been damaged, but both of Houston's airports partially re-opened on Wednesday after several days closure. |
The oil and chemical industry, which has extensive facilities in Texas, has also suffered. | |
America's largest oil refinery , run by Motiva Enterprises in Port Arthur, could be closed for up to two weeks. The refinery produces more than 600,000 barrels per day. | |
A key network of pipelines supplying fuel to major US cities has been shut down due to the disruption. | |
Explosions have been reported at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby to the north east of Houston, amid warnings that volatile compounds could not be kept safe due to a failure of refrigeration systems. | |
Shell boss takes stock of storm disruption | Shell boss takes stock of storm disruption |
Further south, buildings on the coast were destroyed and damaged by high winds as Hurricane Harvey made its initial landfall, with gusts reaching 130mph. | Further south, buildings on the coast were destroyed and damaged by high winds as Hurricane Harvey made its initial landfall, with gusts reaching 130mph. |
Hurricane Harvey broke the previous continental US record for rainfall delivered by a single tropical depression, with almost 52 inches falling in Cedar Bayou by 30 August. | Hurricane Harvey broke the previous continental US record for rainfall delivered by a single tropical depression, with almost 52 inches falling in Cedar Bayou by 30 August. |
The previous record was 48 inches, which fell during Tropical Storm Amelia in 1978, also in Texas. | The previous record was 48 inches, which fell during Tropical Storm Amelia in 1978, also in Texas. |
On 30 August, US Geological Survey (USGS) data showed rivers at 50 locations across a huge swathe of south and east Texas at so-called 'flood stage'. | On 30 August, US Geological Survey (USGS) data showed rivers at 50 locations across a huge swathe of south and east Texas at so-called 'flood stage'. |
This is defined by the US National Weather Service as the level at which water is inundating areas normally dry areas, causing disruption or a threat to life and/or property. | This is defined by the US National Weather Service as the level at which water is inundating areas normally dry areas, causing disruption or a threat to life and/or property. |
Some are in densely populated areas, and others are in or near remote, rural and isolated communities. | Some are in densely populated areas, and others are in or near remote, rural and isolated communities. |
Hurricane Harvey initially made landfall near Corpus Christi late on Friday 25 August, but then doubled back on itself and headed back out into the Gulf of Mexico. | Hurricane Harvey initially made landfall near Corpus Christi late on Friday 25 August, but then doubled back on itself and headed back out into the Gulf of Mexico. |
By 18:00 GMT on Friday, sustained wind speeds had dropped to 70mph, downgrading it to a tropical storm. At this point, the storm was travelling very slowly - at about 2mph - making the effect of the rainfall inland worse. | By 18:00 GMT on Friday, sustained wind speeds had dropped to 70mph, downgrading it to a tropical storm. At this point, the storm was travelling very slowly - at about 2mph - making the effect of the rainfall inland worse. |
Forecast track: Friday 25 August | Forecast track: Friday 25 August |
Forecast track: Wednesday 30 August | Forecast track: Wednesday 30 August |
The storm made landfall again in the neighbouring state of Louisiana, which saw devastating flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. | The storm made landfall again in the neighbouring state of Louisiana, which saw devastating flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. |
Heavy rainfall is expected from Louisiana to Kentucky over the next three days, and flood warnings remain in effect for south-east Texas and parts of south-west Louisiana. | Heavy rainfall is expected from Louisiana to Kentucky over the next three days, and flood warnings remain in effect for south-east Texas and parts of south-west Louisiana. |