Hurricane Harvey, which began as a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, rapidly escalated to a Category 4 storm as it made its way towards Southern Texas. As expected, the powerful hurricane, that packed 130mph winds, made landfall near the city of Rockport on August 25 at about 10:00 pm local time, causing widespread destruction. Three hours later, it made a second landfall on the Northeastern Shore of Copano Bay, this time, as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds!
The strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. in a decade, and the first to make landfall in Texas since 2008, Harvey has now been downgraded to a tropical storm. However, it continues to bring torrential rain to the area. The biggest impact has been felt in Houston. As of 7:00 am local time Sunday, the nation’s fourth largest city, had received over 25 inches of rain and an additional 3 to 15 inches is expected to fall over the next few days. To make matters worse, the hurricane has spawned several tornadoes making it dangerous for residents seeking refuge in their attics or roof to escape the rising flood waters.Meanwhile, officials have asked residents of Port Aransas and Port Lavaca, that were directly in the path of the hurricane’s fury, to stay away until they can assess the devastation left behind by the powerful storm. They are also conducting a search and rescue operation for the estimated 100 Port Aransas residents that did not to evacuate. Those still in Port Lavaca are under a curfew because all power, water, and sewer services are down. Initial reports from Rockport indicate that several buildings have been razed to the ground and with over 60 inches of rain expected in the next few days, the town of 10,000 residents is bracing for more destruction.
Experts predict that as Harvey heads south and east in the next few days, even areas much further inland will be soaked with as much as 40 inches of rain. Coastal flooding also remains athreat as the already overflowing rivers continue to get deluged with rain. Texas Gov Greg Abbott fears that if the forecasts hold true, it could result in billions of dollars of property damage. Fortunately, thanks to careful planning and urging residents to evacuate to safer areas, the number of fatalities reported thus far, is still relatively small.
I am so sorry for the people in texas and I hope you guys make it through Hurricane Harvey
I also want to say sorry for the 2 people that died in Hurricane Harvey
