What we know so far
The storm
- Tropical storm Harvey is set to make landfall again on Wednesday, with Louisiana this time forecast to bear the brunt of its massive downpours. Flash flood warnings are in place across the entire state, as its neighbour Texas still reels from the devastating rains of the last five days.
- Latest forecasts suggest Houston will see less than an inch of rain on Wednesday.
- Earlier fears that two reservoirs could overspill, threatening surrounding communities with more flooding, seem to be receding. An update on Tuesday evening from the US Army Corps of Engineers said water levels in the Addicks and Baker reservoirs are now not expected to rise as high as had been forecast.
- Harvey now holds the US record for most rainfall from a tropical system.
The casualties
- At least 18 people are confirmed to have died in the storm as it ravaged Texas, including police sergeant Steve Perez; Ruben Jordan, a retired high school coach; 83-year-old Ola Mae Crooks; and Alexander Kwoksum Sung, who was 64.
- On Tuesday night, the Harris county institute of forensic sciences said it had identified three more victims: Agnes Stanley, 89, who was found in floodwater in a home; Travis Lynn Callihan, 45, who died after leaving his vehicle in high waters; and an unnamed 76-year-old woman, who died in waters around her vehicle.
- Beaumont police said they had recovered the body of a woman from floodwaters. Her young daughter, who was clinging to her mother, is being treated in hospital.
- Six members of the Saldivar family are believed to have died when their vehicle became trapped in flooding, although their bodies have not yet been found.
The relief efforts
- New shelters have been opened after the George R Brown convention center, set up with a capacity of 5,000, took in 10,000 evacuees. New arrivals are now being directed to a large hub at the NRG center, which can hold an additional 10,000 people, with smaller numbers sent to the Toyota Center, usually home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
- Following stinging criticism, televangelist Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church – a Houston megachurch with capacity for 16,000 people – has reversed its decision not to house people seeking shelter.
- More than 13,000 people have now been rescued by local and federal agencies in the Houston area and across southeastern Texas. It is not known how many people remain in their homes.
- Houston mayor Sylvester Turner has imposed a citywide curfew from midnight to 5am to curb “potential criminal acts” against abandoned properties.
The response
- Donald Trump will return to Texas on Saturday, the White House confirmed, following a trip with first lady Melania Trump on Tuesday at which the president met local residents with the greeting: “What a crowd, what a turnout.”
- After criticism from some that Trump had failed to express empathy for those affected by the storm, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president had been moved by images from the disaster zone:
The number one thing after talking to him just a little bit ago that he wanted to reinforce from today was that this is all about people, making sure that we are taking care of the people of Texas – that is his number one priority.
- One-fifth of US oil refineries have been shut down as a result of Harvey. On Tuesday night, Motiva Enterprises’ plant in Port Arthur, Texas, the largest in the US, was closing due to flooding. The plant produces 603,000 barrels a day.
- Gasoline prices have spiked to their highest point since July 2015, prompting fears of a fuel shortage.
Read more
- ‘We ain’t doing no damn good’: volunteer rescuers struggle in Houston
- Trump jets in to Texas to view ‘epic’ flood damage as death toll rises to 18.
- Want to help those affected by tropical storm Harvey? Here’s how.
- Locals ready for worst as Harvey’s rising water strains Houston dams.
- Climate change and Harvey: your questions answered.
We are going to close the blog for now. Thanks for reading.
Updated
Kevin Vitto only moved to Houston in February. What he did not realise until Harvey struck is that his family’s apartment in a smart new complex backs onto a reservoir with a dam that feeds a bayou.
Levels rose to record highs on Tuesday. As officials struggled to manage both deliberate and uncontrolled water releases from the Barker and Addicks dams, more neighbourhoods flooded in an already badly-hit area about 20 miles west of downtown.
Some parts face being submerged for weeks or even months, and water could spill over from Addicks for another three weeks, officials said at a press conference.
A more hopeful update followed from officials who said that improving conditions mean the reservoirs are expected to crest about one to three feet lower than expected. Shortly before sunset, residents in the prosperous Memorial district went for walks, children played in the streets and neighbours holding beer or wine gathered to gawp at flooded streets while drivers gingerly navigated roads with broken traffic lights.
Fears of what could happen to a swath of the city if the dams fail still stalked some residents. The 1940s-era structures are run by the federal government and were undergoing repair before Harvey; military helicopters buzzed overhead for much of the day, while in the evening a convoy of vehicles was parked along Interstate 10 as rescues continued in tandem with efforts by boat-owning civilian volunteers.
Vitto’s building has a swimming pool for residents in the middle and now it has a boating lake out front where Highway 6, a major north-south route, is submerged.
Tropical storm Harvey is due to make landfall again on Wednesday – this time it is Louisiana, rather than Texas, that is set to bear the brunt.
The state has already had some localised flooding thanks to Harvey, but meteorologists predict further flooding as the storm dumps rain across the region.
A number of tornadoes are also forecast.
Harvey is expected to strike the Texas-Louisiana border again on Wednesday, and continue to batter Louisiana through the later part of the week.
Beaumont, Texas, close to the state line, has been inundated on Tuesday night, with at least one death reported in the flooding.
Residents of Louisiana’s Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and New Orleans have been warned to expect extreme weather in the coming days. The National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings for the entire state.
Singapore’s defence ministry has said its military helicopters will assist in rescue efforts from Wednesday.
Its four CH-47 Chinooks are based in Texas, at Grand Prairie, and Singaporean air force personnel are trained there.
In partnership with the Texas National Guard, Singapore’s helicopters will transport rescue teams, evacuees and emergency supplies.
Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, made the offer in a call with Donald Trump late on Tuesday, Associated Press reported.
There is a new threat to the millions of people in Texas affected by ex-hurricane Harvey: large “rafts” of fire ants that have been spotted floating in floodwaters.
Displaced by record flooding, the insects have responded by creating rafts built on top of dead ants to stay on the top of water and keep dry.
Pro tip: Don't touch the floating fire ant colonies. They will ruin your day. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/uwJd0rA7qB
— Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) August 27, 2017
Hailing from the floodplains of the Paraguay river in South America, the ants are accustomed to flood-prone environments.
Despite the raft-making behaviour being well known to entomologists (it was observed following Hurricane Katrina), images of the ants sailing on floodwaters have caused panic online.
The ants are extremely aggressive, attacking en masse and inflicting an itching and burning sting that can last an hour. Secondary infections from the stings can be serious, and in rare cases allergic reactions have killed people – they are thought to have caused dozens of deaths in the United States.
While some have suggested “killing them with fire”, experts say that a bit of detergent is the best defence against the floating menaces.
With the George R Brown convention center already sheltering twice its original capacity, Houston officials have begun directing evacuees to the NRG Center, which has room for 10,000 people.
It’s now past midnight local time, but Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said residents seeking shelter would be exempt from the nighttime curfew that runs until 5am.
People are beggining to enter NRG Center holding trash bags with their belongings inside. pic.twitter.com/E2XP4Yxgrd
— Brooke Lewis (@brookelewisa) August 30, 2017
One-fifth of US oil refineries – including the country’s largest crude oil refinery – have been shut down as a result of Harvey.
On Tuesday night, Motiva Enterprises’ plant in Port Arthur, Texas, the largest in the US, was closing due to flooding, Reuters reported. The plant produces 603,000 barrels a day.
Reuters also reported that Total was down to 53% of capacity at its Port Arthur refinery.
Texas and Louisiana, the states struck by Harvey, are the heart of the US petroleum industry.
Reuters estimates that at least 3.6 million barrels per day of refining capacity are offline in Texas and Louisiana, or nearly 20% of total US capacity. Restarting plants can take at least a week.
In the meantime, gasoline prices have spiked to their highest point since July 2015, prompting fears of a fuel shortage.
Death toll rises to 18
The official death toll from Harvey has risen to 18 – although with many people still unaccounted for, it could be a while before authorities have a reliable figure.
On Tuesday night, the Harris county institute of forensic sciences said it had identified three more victims: Agnes Stanley, 89, who was found in floodwater in a home; Travis Lynn Callihan, 45, who died after leaving his vehicle in high waters; and an unnamed 76-year-old woman, who died in waters around her vehicle.
Others who are confirmed to have died include police sergeant Steve Perez; Ruben Jordan, a retired high school coach; 83-year-old Ola Mae Crooks; and Alexander Kwoksum Sung, who was 64.
Six members of the same family are believed to have died when their vehicle became trapped in flooding, although their bodies have not yet been found.
On Tuesday evening, Beaumont police said they had recovered the body of a woman from floodwaters. Her young daughter, who was clinging to her mother, is being treated in hospital.
Texas woman Arlene Kelsch posted video of a startling sight in the wake of Hurricane Harvey – two alligators swimming in her backyard.
The reptiles managed to get into the backyard after flooding inundated the neighbourhood, submerging the garden fence.
Megachurch opens its doors to evacuees
Following stinging criticism, a Houston megachurch – with capacity for 16,000 people – has reversed its decision not to house people seeking shelter from Harvey.
Televangelist Joel Osteen opened Lakewood Church on Tuesday, saying:
Houstonians, Texans, are generous people, gracious people. We like to help others in need. That’s what you’re seeing here today people stepping up and you know and helping these people that have been displaced.
It came after days of criticism after the church said it would not serve as a shelter, claiming to be flood-damaged. Some residents shared pictures appearing to show that the church was in fact accessible.
Many other places of worship, including churches and mosques, have opened their doors to people displaced by flooding.
Don Iloff, a church spokesman and Osteen’s brother-in-law, told the Associated Press that floodwaters had left the building mostly inaccessible before receding on Monday afternoon, but denied the church had been closed. Three people spent the night at the church on Sunday before being taken to a city shelter, Iloff said, adding:
You can’t change your life because of Twitter haters. You need to do what you need to do.
Earlier fears that two reservoirs could overspill, threatening surrounding communities with more flooding, seem to be receding.
An update on Tuesday evening from the US Army Corps of Engineers said water levels in the Addicks and Baker reservoirs are now not expected to rise as high as was forecast.
According to a report in the Houston Chronicle, although levels in the Addicks reservoir rose by six inches (15cm) between noon and 6pm on Tuesday, this was not as much as expected, and engineers now believe its maximum will reach 109.1 feet (33m) – over 12 inches less than predicted.
Similarly, the expected maximum level for the Baker reservoir has been revised downwards to 101.7 feet, around three feet lower.
Uncontrolled releases of water from Baker have now stopped, and overspill from Addicks is said to be minimal. Engineers are continuing to make controlled releases into the Buffalo bayou.
This animation from the National Weather Service shows the path of Harvey over five days – and the incredible amount of rainfall it unleashed:
Radar animation of #Harvey now extends a little more than 5 days long. Amazing and scary to watch this engine churn out all that rain. pic.twitter.com/h0LyBQzQ1C
— NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) August 30, 2017
Another person has been confirmed to have died in the flooding.
Beaumont police said a woman spotted floating in the water with her young daughter has died. The girl survived, but has hypothermia and is being treated in hospital.
Officers said the pair were swept into a drainage canal while trying to escape from their vehicle, which was trapped in high water, on Tuesday afternoon.
Two Beaumont police officers and two fire-rescue divers in a rubber boat later pulled them from the water, but they were unable to revive the woman, who has not been named.
With 10,000 evacuees sheltering at the George R Brown convention center – originally set up with a capacity of 5,000 people – new hubs are opening to take in those forced to leave their homes.
Residents are still asked to check in at the GRB, but some will now be forwarded to shelter at the Toyota Center, usually home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
Tom McCasland, Houston’s housing and community development director, told the Associated Press that the Toyota Center would serve only as an overflow shelter for families with children with no immediate medical needs.
Another large shelter is opening at 10pm local time – around half an hour from now – at the NRG center, which can hold an additional 10,000 evacuees.
Updated
Although it is one of the world’s widest motorways – eight lanes in each direction in places, with an extra four lanes on each side of a parallel frontage road – the I-10 Katy Freeway resembles a giant parking lot during rush hours.
As the sun set on Tuesday, it really was a parking lot: military vehicles, civilian pick-up trucks towing boats and TV news vans stopped near the severely flooded exit for Eldridge Parkway at the heart of the Energy Corridor district, 20 miles west of downtown Houston, where oil majors ConocoPhillips, Shell and BP America have big corporate offices.
The Corridor’s website touts the location’s proximity to Buffalo Bayou and the Addicks and Barker reservoirs for their recreational potential.
That very proximity to large bodies of water is why much of the area is currently submerged, as the US Army Corps of Engineers continues to try to manage the flow out of the reservoirs, making deliberate discharges as well as having to cope with uncontrolled spills.
While I-10 was useable and drivers endured the familiar experience of backed-up traffic, since police have blocked off most of the lanes, the frontage roads are waterways. Despite an improvement in the weather around here, things appear to be getting worse, not better.
Hershel Coleman and Anton Mackey drove from Austin with their boats to help the rescue mission. Watching the disaster unfold on television, they felt an urge to contribute so travelled 150 miles to save people from flooded properties, with water up to four feet deep.
Reality felt like something you’d see on screen, Coleman said: “It was something out of a horror movie.”
Not that gratitude was universal. “Lots of people didn’t want to come. They were stubborn,” Coleman said. But one man who had only moved into his home a month ago, initially reluctant to leave because of his child, who has autism, did offer them some bacon by way of thanks.
What did they plan to do, now that night was falling? “We’re going to keep helping,” Coleman said.
Hershel and Anton came from Austin to rescue Houstonians by boat pic.twitter.com/sRjKKehIil
— Tom Dart (@Tom_Dart) August 30, 2017
This view over Buffalo bayou from Memorial Heights in Houston – before and after Harvey struck – shows how the flooding has transformed the landscape.
See more before and after images here:
More than 13,000 people have now been rescued by local and federal agencies in the Houston area and across southeastern Texas.
Some 4,100 of those were rescued by Houston police, chief Art Acevedo said; and more than 3,000 were picked up by Houston firefighters.
Harris county’s sheriff’s office – which covers Houston – said its agents had also rescued around 3,000 people, and the US coast guard has helped around the same number.
Trump to revisit Texas on Saturday
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, speaking to reporters on Air Force One after the president’s visit to Texas, said Donald Trump would be returning to the storm-hit zone at the weekend:
We are definitely going back to Texas on Saturday and possibly Louisiana on Saturday as well, depending on the weather conditions there.
We’ll go back into a different part of the state, to have a chance to see some of the areas we were not able to today.
One of the priorities the president had was making sure that his trip didn’t disrupt any of the recovery or search and rescue efforts.
Huckabee Sanders said the intention was to visit part of the state that was “hit really hard” and “having the chance to meet with some of the evacuees as well”.
On emergency funding for flood relief, she said:
I think that is something they are still working through, she said, what the best mechanism is possible …
We are still working through that process, I think the first thing is to determine how much they need, what the need is, and then develop the best process and plan for them.
The guiding principle here is taking care of Americans, that’s the very core of who we are.
Addressing Trump’s earlier statement that “probably there has never been anything so expensive in our country’s history”, she said:
I think some of the preliminary reports indicate that it could be … We still don’t know the full extent of the damage, but we certainly note it’s record level of flooding, an epic storm, and there is certainly going to be a lot of rebuilding and recovery.
It [is] potentially the largest we’ve ever seen.
After criticism from some – including former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer – that Trump had failed to express empathy for those affected by the storm, Huckabee Sanders said Trump and the first lady had been moved by images from the disaster zone:
The number one thing after talking to him just a little bit ago that he wanted to reenforce from today was that this is all about people, making sure that we are taking care of the people of Texas – that is his number one priority.
The forecast for Wednesday promises some relief for Texas – if not for its neighbours – Associated Press reports:
Harvey will spend much of Wednesday dropping rain on Louisiana before moving on to Arkansas, Tennessee and parts of Missouri, which could also see flooding.
When Harvey returns to land on Wednesday, “it’s the end of the beginning,” National Hurricane Center meteorologist Dennis Feltgen said.
But Feltgen cautioned: “We’re not done with this. There’s still an awful lot of real estate and a lot of people who are going to feel the impacts of the storm.”
The National Weather Service predicted less of an inch of rain for Houston on Wednesday and only a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms for Thursday.
Friday’s forecast called for mostly sunny skies.
How to help
A number of Americans both close to Texas and far away from it would like to help those suffering in the wake of catastrophic tropical storm Harvey. The US government has warned people to be careful when choosing recipients for donations and to be cautious of potential charity scams or email hacks and “malicious cyber activity”.
The Federal Trade Commission has issued advice for the public under the topic “wise giving in the wake of Hurricane Harvey”. Their tips include: “Don’t assume that charity messages posted on social media are legitimate.”
At least one online scam has already been exposed when a false phone number was published purporting to connect people to the National Guard, and was shared widely on social media. The National Guard itself issued a warning on Twitter.
Many agencies and charities are involved in relief efforts, and some of the main participants are mentioned in this article:
In a swift tweak, Houston mayor Sylvester Turner now says the curfew will begin at midnight, rather than 10pm, “to allow volunteers and others to do their great work”.
The curfew will still run until 5am.
At least 15 people are confirmed to have died in the storm, including police sergeant Steve Perez; Ruben Jordan, a retired high school coach; and 83-year-old Ola Mae Crooks.
Harris county has now confirmed that Alexander Kwoksum Sung, who was 64, is among the dead. He drowned at a Houston clock repair business on Sunday, and his body was found on Monday.
Here’s more from Houston mayor Sylvester Turner on that city-wide curfew – clarifying that those seeking shelter are exempted from the restrictions:
Imposing curfew from 10 pm to 5 am to stop any property crimes against evacuated homes in city limits.
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 29, 2017
Curfew was used after Hurricane Ike. Prevented burglaries, looting.
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 29, 2017
Curfew exempts flood relief volunteers, those seeking shelter, first responders, and those going to and from work.
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 30, 2017
Curfew in force only to prevent potential criminal acts.
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 30, 2017
This is Claire Phipps picking up the live blog as evening falls in Texas.
It’s currently 7.15pm local time, and Houston mayor Sylvester Turner has announced a curfew running from 10pm to 5am “to ensure public safety”. Turner said there was no reason for residents to be on the streets between those hours.
There have been some reports of looting since Harvey hit. Police chief Art Acevedo said anyone outside during curfew hours would be stopped, questioned, searched and arrested.
The latest
- Harvey now holds the US record for most total rainfall from a tropical system.
- At least 15 people have been confirmed dead, including a police sergeant, a retired high school coach and an 83-year-old woman.
- Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump flew to Texas on Tuesday where the president said “What a crowd, what a turnout,” at one appearance.
- The American Red Cross has reported that 17,000 people affected by the flooding were in emergency shelters in southern Texas by Tuesday afternoon.
- People may have to remain in shelters for months, the Red Cross has warned. Experts say it could take years for Houston to fully recover.
- Houston police officials said more than 3,400 people have been rescued from floodwaters.
- Roughly 20 hospitals and 20 nursing homes have been evacuated in south-east Texas.
- An ExxonMobil storage tank roof has collapsed at the second-largest oil refinery in the country, raising concerns about the release of hazardous pollutants.
- A pair of reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston and a levee in a suburban subdivision began to overflow on Tuesday.
- Houston’s mayor said the city has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for food, cots and other supplies for an additional 10,000 individuals.
- Blue skies appeared late on Tuesday for the first time in days, and the National Weather Service in Houston forecasts less than an inch of rain for the city on Wednesday, a 30% chance of showers and storms on Thursday and a “mostly sunny” day on Friday.
An 83-year-old woman died after her vehicle was caught in a flood in Walker county, north of Houston, the Associated Press is reporting. State troopers checking on road conditions early Tuesday morning discovered Ola Mae Crooks’ vehicle and located her body. From the AP:
Sgt Steven McNeil with the Texas Department of Public Safety tells the Huntsville Item newspaper that a preliminary investigation indicates Crooks drowned when her car was swept off a farm-to-market road at the San Jacinto River near her home. McNeil says it appears Crooks was trying to cross the bridge and the swift water carried her vehicle off the road and into the flood waters.
The Clear Creek independent school district has reported the death of a longtime high school football coach, Ruben Jordan:
Our hearts go out to the Jordan family with the news of Coach Jordan’s passing. He was a beloved coach, coworker and friend at Clear Creek High School, in CCISD and in the community for many years. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.
Jordan had earlier been reported missing. He retired last summer after serving as Clear Creek’s head track coach for 18 seasons and 34 years total as a coach, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Hurricane Harvey fatality: Ruben Jordan, longtime Clear Creek High School track coach. https://t.co/yZngOPkBF5 via @houstonchron
— Matt Young (@Chron_MattYoung) August 29, 2017
Blue skies spotted
Reporters in the Houston area are tweeting that they are seeing blue skies for the first time in days.
I have never been so happy to see blue sky. #houwx pic.twitter.com/2j643WPf9h
— Lydia DePillis (@lydiadepillis) August 29, 2017
And then there was blue sky... an incredible sight for a city with sore eyes. #khou11 #houstonstrong #HurricaneHarvy pic.twitter.com/DYT4dSBpUR
— Lauren Talarico (@KHOULauren) August 29, 2017
Photo sent in by @TEGNA exec producer Amy Alvarez. Blue skies near her home in Katy. It's been a long time since we've seen that #KHOU11 pic.twitter.com/h27PqmTS8I
— Marcelino Benito (@MarcelinoKHOU) August 29, 2017
FINALLY! Blue skies in Katy, TX. Also seeing the sun slowly peek out at @KPRC2 in SW Houston. #houstonflood pic.twitter.com/G9UAsPcg5I
— Aaron Wische KPRC (@AaronKPRC) August 29, 2017
Officials, however, have warned that flood levels are not expected to peak in south-east Texas until Wednesday and Thursday.
Updated
First lady Melania Trump has released a statement on Harvey saying she wants to offer support “not through just words, but also action”. Earlier in the day, the president’s campaign committee encouraged people to donate to charities, though it’s unclear if Trump has made any personal donations. Here’s the first lady’s full statement:
The effects of Hurricane Harvey will be felt in Texas, Louisiana, and other parts of the country for many months and years to come. So far, 1.7 million people are under orders to evacuate their homes, and, as the floodwater in Houston rises, sadly, so will the number of evacuees.
I want to be able to offer my help and support in the most productive way possible, not through just words, but also action. What I found to be the most profound during the visit was not only the strength and resilience of the people of Texas, but the compassion and sense of community that has taken over the State. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of Texas and Louisiana.
Harvey continues to break records, according to the National Weather Service:
Update to the rainfall record: 51.88" has been reported at Cedar Bayou and FM-1942 as of 3:40 PM CDT today #houwx #glswx #bcswx #txwx pic.twitter.com/LJZsLJSqVm
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 29, 2017
The Associated Press reports that the 51.88 inches of rains in Cedar Bayou, near Mont Belvieu, Texas, is a record for both the state and the continental US. It doesn’t, however, pass the 52 inches from tropical cyclone Hiki in Kauai, Hawaii, in 1950 (before Hawaii became a state).
More than 355 square miles of Harris County is now covered by water, bigger than 15 times the size of Manhattan:
Now: More than 355 sq mi in Harris County covered by water. That's:
— Lindsay Ellis (@lindsayaellis) August 29, 2017
-Bigger than 15x Manhattan
-Bigger than 7x SF https://t.co/dFAPwclhEl
Updated
This is Sam Levin picking up the live blog as the rescues and flash flood warnings continue in Texas. The ongoing storm has caused a storage tank roof to collapse at ExxonMobil’s large oil refining and chemical campus, the Houston Chronicle is reporting.
The damage in Baytown, a city just east of Houston, has affected the second-largest oil refinery in the country. The company acknowledged that the Harvey damage caused the release of hazardous pollutants in new regulatory filings with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, according to the Washington Post:
The company said in the filings that a floating roof covering a tank at ExxonMobil’s Baytown oil refinery sank in heavy rains, dipping below the surface of oil or other material stored there and causing unusually high emissions, especially of volatile organic compounds, a category of regulated chemicals.
Harvey causes roof collapse at Exxon Mobil's Baytown complex. https://t.co/ymL0sSoNc7
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) August 29, 2017
Dozens of offshore oil-and-gas platforms and rigs in the Gulf of Mexico have been evacuated, according to the Associated Press. Out of 737 manned platforms in the gulf, 102 have evacuated workers, the US government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Some FAQs on the link between Harvey and climate change.
Is there a link between the storm and climate change?
Almost certainly, according to a statement issued by the World Meteorological Organization on Tuesday. “Climate change means that when we do have an event like Harvey, the rainfall amounts are likely to be higher than they would have been otherwise,” the UN organisation’s spokeswoman Clare Nullis told a conference.
How did it make it worse?
Warmer seas evaporate more quickly. Warmer air holds more water vapour. So, as temperatures rise around the world, the skies store more moisture and dump it more intensely.
Is this speculation or science?
There is a proven link – known as the Clausius-Clapeyron equation – that shows that for every half a degree celsius in warming, there is about a 3% increase in atmospheric moisture content.
The damage has worsened as a result of the duration of the deluge. Harvey appears to have parked above Houston, pumping huge volumes of water from the sea to the sky to the city. Will stationary storms like this become more common in the future?
This is the single most important question posed by Harvey, according to Tim Palmer, Royal Society Research Professor at the University of Oxford. There is not yet a clear link between this and climate change. But scientists have observed a general slowdown of atmospheric summer circulation in the mid-latitudes as a result of strong warming in the Arctic. “This can make weather systems move less and stay longer in a given location – which can significantly enhance the impacts of rainfall extremes, just like we’re sadly witnessing in Houston,” noted Stefan Rahmstorf, a co-chair at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s website, Both Houston airports will reopen on Wednesday.
- George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) Reopens 12:00 PM CDT
- William P Hobby (HOU) Reopens 8:00 AM CDT.
ICYMI: Houston-area fire ant colonies are assembling ad-hoc flotillas on the bodies of their dead comrades to survive the flooding. Another, almost comically unpleasant obstacle for residents to be mindful of as they trudge through floodwaters to higher ground.
Pro tip: Don't touch the floating fire ant colonies. They will ruin your day. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/uwJd0rA7qB
— Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) August 27, 2017
Texas Tough: In a press release Tuesday, The Harris County District Attorney has promised harsher penalties for criminals trying to take advantage of the flood.
“People displaced or harmed in this storm are not going to be easy prey,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said.
“Anyone who tries to take advantage of this storm to break into homes or businesses should know that they are going to feel the full weight of the law,” she said. “Offenders will be processed around the clock without delay.”
Under Texas law, punishment increases for crimes such as assault, robbery, burglary and theft if they are committed in a county that, like Harris county currently, has been declared a disaster area by the governor.
Burglarizing a home would normally bring a penalty of two to 20 years in prison, but currently brings five years to life.
Houston police chief Art Acevedo confirmed that Houston police Sgt Steve Perez, a 34-year veteran of the department, died in his patrol car Monday night while trying to make it in to a station.
“Unfortunately in the darkness Sgt Perez drove into … the water and he died in a drowning-type event,” Acevedo said. A police dive team recovered his body this morning.
Acevedo became emotional as he recounted the search effort for Perez, and how his own dive team was aided by the civilian “Cajun Navy.”
Acevedo called Perez “a sweet, gentle public servant,” and said that if yesterday had to be his day, “this is the way he would have wanted to go,” in service to the citizens of Houston.
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the tragic in the line of duty death of Sergeant Steve Perez. pic.twitter.com/cHJxjnFgII
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) August 29, 2017
Updated
A brief moment of levity as CNN anchor mistakes what was likely liquor, for a bottle of drinking water.
"I'm not sure that's a water bottle..." pic.twitter.com/KoaYDMVGgz
— Jim Swift (@JSwiftTWS) August 29, 2017
Updated
A report from Trump’s visit in Corpus Christi:
Impromptu, Trump came out of the Annaville Fire House, where he had been meeting governor Abbott and other Texas officials.
Emerging between two fire trucks, he got up on a ladder, his head and torso popping above a secret service SUV positioned between him and the sizable crowd about 100 feet away.
Using a mic and amp, his voice just about carried above the wind and cheers.
“Thank you,” he said to applause. “We love you, you are special, we are here to take care of you,” he said. “It’s going well.”
“What a crowd, what a turn out,” he said to the throng of hundreds.
He thanked Abbott and the two US senators for Texas. “This has been a total cooperative effort.
“It’s historic. It’s epic. But I tell you, it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything.”
He then held up the Texan flag to loud cheers.
Updated
Harvey now officially holds the US record for most total rainfall from a tropical system, and it hasn’t left the area yet.
The record for total rainfall from a tropical system has been BROKEN! Mary's Creek at Winding Road recorded 49.20", previous record is 48". pic.twitter.com/yCjuUOR8p3
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 29, 2017
Updated
The city of Houston reassuring people that they will not be asking for immigration papers at the shelters https://t.co/uhlNgZaCp3
— Karina Ramírez (@KarinaFRamirez) August 29, 2017
CNN reporters in Houston have spoken with multiple residents in evacuation zones who said they were avoiding shelters for exactly this reason.
Updated
The US National Weather Service tracks the heights of rivers and designates the point at which they are considered to be flooding. Measurements for Texas on Tuesday morning showed levels in some areas around Houston to be 25ft above “flood” level.
Updated
Houston officials say they're aware of a report of a police officer drowning in his patrol car as he was driving to work.
— Fox5NY (@fox5ny) August 29, 2017
Trump: 'We want to do it better than ever before'
Trump keeps it brief and general in first remarks to press and Texas officials in Corpus Christi.
He said: “We want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years and in ten years from now as this is the way to do it. This was of epic proportion, no one has ever seen anything like this and I just want to say that working with the governor [Abbott] and his entire team has been an honor for us.”
Updated
We want him to see and understand the enormous challenges that Texans have faced, and the need for the aid that he is providing. He’s a champion of Texas and champion of helping us rebuild and I think we’ll hear that commitment.”
Updated
Donald and Melania Trump land in Texas
Donald and Melania Trump just touched down moments ago in Corpus Christi. He’s expected to address the press shortly.
Updated
We expect everyone to be orderly and well behaved. We are not going to tolerate any activity that’s criminal in nature or that is disruptive.
If there’s anything that makes it even uncomfortable in terms of any sort criminal activity or bad behavior... those people will not be welcome at the shelters.”
Updated
Addicks dam is beginning to overflow, officials confirm
More from the Houston presser:
The city’s north-east water plant continues to operate despite being inundated yesterday and the water “is safe” according to officials.
Officials confirmed that the Addicks dam has reached its capacity and is seeing overflow, and that Barker dam will likely begin to overflow today, though not as severely.
100,000 customers remain without electric service in the city. “Over the last 24 hours our crews restored service to over 240,000 customers but... as fast as we get them on, we’re losing customers,” officials said.
Updated
Houston police chief Art Acevedo now addressing reporters and focuses in on handful of looters and armed robbers taking advantage of the chaos. “This is Texas” he said, promising no leniency for criminal behavior.
Acevedo said his officer are sleeping in their stations and “will not be going home” until they are out of response mode, likely for another few days.
Updated
Houston mayor: 'Today the focus will continue to be about rescue'
Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, is now giving a morning update.
“Yesterday the focus was on rescue and today the focus will continue to be about rescue,” he said.
Some of Turner’s first remarks:
- The city has requested food, supplies, cots, etc from Fema for an additional 10,000 individuals.
- The city will hold its city council meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
- The city has identified additional “megashelter” location sites that will be announced soon.
Updated
In a press conference from Washington DC, Maj Gen James Witham, director of domestic operations for the National Guard bureau said the unusually long duration of Harvey’s direct impact is changing the way his team approaches their efforts.
Normally we plan response for that first 72 hours, 96 hours, weather passes and then we’re really into a recovery mode. We will be doing live saving and life sustaining efforts for a much longer period due to the nature of this storm.”
Updated
It’s the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on the Gulf Coast, and as Harvey tracks back north-east, southern Louisiana is at risk once again.
We're monitoring the developing heavy rain threat across south Louisiana late tonight into early Tues morning with @NWSWPC. #LAwx pic.twitter.com/eMvlzUPSX0
— NWS New Orleans (@NWSNewOrleans) August 29, 2017
Much of the state’s southern territory is at or below sea level and riddled with swamps, bayous and wetlands, meaning that even if Harvey doesn’t drop the same kind of unprecedented torrential rainfall here as it did in Houston, it could still cause catastrophic damage.
Tensions are extra high in New Orleans, given not only the anniversary of Katrina, but the fact that the city, which relies on pumps to remove excess rainwater from its streets, has been facing chronic mechanical failures of that system all summer. 16 of 121 pumps were down as of Monday and city workers are working frantically to restore service yesterday in preparation for Harvey’s impact, officials said
Local schools and other city facilities are closed as officials advise residents to make preparations.
I am recommending that everyone stay home tom. out of an abundance of caution. Please stay off of the roads tomorrow.
— Mitch Landrieu (@MayorLandrieu) August 28, 2017
Updated
In Montgomery County, which is north of Houston, officials there are warning residents that they don’t have enough barricades to block off all the roads that are impassible.
We are out of high water barricades. Do not take it for granted that if there isn’t a barricade that the road is safe to drive over. Motorists should use extreme caution when driving as some flooded or damaged roads may not be barricaded until we can secure more barricades. Flowing water on roadways can easily sweep a vehicle off the road. If you can stay at home, please do, do not drive unless you absolutely must. Please do not go out sightseeing. Turn around Don’t Drown.”
Updated
A troubling update from Brazoria County which sits due south of Houston. Most of the area has been under a mandatory evacuation order since Sunday.
— Brazoria County (@BrazoriaCounty) August 29, 2017
Updated
Photo taken by a deputy of the Williamson County, Texas Sheriff’s office who traveled to Houston to assist local efforts.
The total loss our team is seeing is indescribable. Pitching tents on roofs. pic.twitter.com/ptz9j0zjMN
— Sheriff Robert Chody (@SheriffChody) August 28, 2017
Updated
Jamiles Lartey here, taking over from Nadia.
Flood control officials in Houston are reporting that water levels behind the Addicks dam have reached the edge of the wall, and floodwater is beginning to spill over. Addicks is one of two dammed Houston reservoirs that officials have feared could begin spilling into Buffalo Bayou, the river that runs through the city, further inundating the surrounding areas.
Spillover doesn’t necessarily mean that the dam will be compromised, however, officials began releasing water from behind the dam yesterday to ease pressure. The more water that sits behind a dam, the more likely the chance of a catastrophic breach.
Updated
Trump: 'Leaving now for Texas!'
Donald Trump has tweeted that he is on his way to Texas. The president is due to visit Corpus Christi and Austin.
Leaving now for Texas!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2017
Updated
Disney has announced a day of programming on Thursday in support of the Red Cross’s Harvey relief efforts.
.@Disney, @ABC announce Day of Giving on Thursday, devoting programming across all platforms in support of Red Cross’ #Harvey relief efforts pic.twitter.com/5C7M2ZPrTy
— ABC News (@ABC) August 29, 2017
With reports indicating that more than 9,000 people sheltered at Houston convention center last night, many without beds, more areas of shelter have become a necessity.
Televangelist Joel Osteen faced criticism for not opening his massive Lakewood Church as a storm shelter, but he has now said the megachurch has “never” closed its doors to people seeking shelter.
In a statement to ABC News, Osteen said the church “will continue to be a distribution center for those in need” and is “prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity.” His comments stand in contrast to a church Facebook post and a since-deleted Instagram remark by Lakewood associate pastor John Gray, who said flooded highways had made the church inaccessible.
The 16,000-seat former arena served as the home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets from 1975 to 2003.
If you live near a creek or bayou, you can keep tabs on water levels through a series of online tools.
The Harris County Flood Control District helps you monitor the situation near you in real-time.
Rainfall Total Map allows you to check the rainfall totals for varying amounts of time, from 15 minutes to two days.
And the Bayou Flood Gauge can be used to track water levels in creeks and bayous around the greater Houston area.
Updated
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
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
Experts say it could take Houston years to fully recover from Harvey. Read our news story here:
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.
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.
Updated
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.”
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.
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.
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
Summary: nine people dead with weather forecast to worsen
Welcome to our ongoing live coverage of the catastrophic floods in Texas, where nine people are confirmed dead and conditions are forecast to worsen.
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, the US president 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
- 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.
Here is our latest news wrap:
Read more
Updated
