Hurricane Harvey, which began as a Category 4 hurricane headed toward Texas on late Friday, was downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday but the damage inflicted by the hurricane has been described in grim and sobering terms. The National Weather Service (NWS) said that Hurricane Harvey was "unprecedented" and that its "impacts are unknown and beyond anything experienced" in a tweet on Sunday morning. The NWS also claimed that the hurricane had caused "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding" in various parts of Texas. Authorities are still assessing the damage but there are some updates on Harvey you should know.
Over and over again, various weather forecasters and centers have expressed shock at the extent to which Harvey impacted Texas over the weekend. The Weather Prediction Center tweeted that the "breadth and intensity of this rainfall are beyond anything experienced before" while the chief meteorologist at The Weather Channel, Michael Palmer, described the Hurricane Harvey as a "life-threatening situation." According to the NWS, some parts of Texas could experience rainfall up to a staggering 50 inches. Prior to the hurricane making landfall in Texas, the state's Department of Transportation shared an exhaustive guide on how to prepare for possible flooding and evacuation.
1. Hurricane Status Downgraded
Hurricane Harvey has been downgraded to a tropical storm at the moment with rainfall still expected to go on for the next days.
2. Reports Of At Least Five Deaths
Authorities have reported at least five deaths while dozens have been injured due to Hurricane Harvey.
3. At Least 250,000 Without Electricity
Some 250,000 Texans remain without basic electricity at the moment as power lines and trees were struck down by Harvey.
4. 54 Texas Counties Under Disaster Declaration
Texas governor Greg Abbott included four more counties into the State Disaster Declaration, which already contained 50 counties expected to be hit by Hurricane Harvey.
5. Mega Shelter Opens For Stranded Texans In Dallas
A mega shelter is expected to open on Tuesday morning for at least 5,000 affected people from the southern part of Texas
6. Houston Stands In 20 Inches of Rainfall
One meteorologist noted that Houston experienced a "staggering" amount of rainfall and now stood in 20 inches of downpour.
7. National Guard Sent To Texas
At least 3,000 troops from The National Guard headed to Texas, according to Abbott, who will be conducting street-to-street rescue operations for stranded locals.
8. Tornado Watch For Texas And Louisiana
The NWS tweeted that an official tornado watch had been declared for Texas and Louisiana.
9. Recovery Will Take Long, FEMA Says
Chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, evaluated the situation in Texas while speaking with NBC News and said that it could take Texas "years" to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.
10. North & South Carolina To Prepare For Tropical Storm Harvey
According to forecasters, North and South Carolina should be prepared for Tropical Storm Harvey as it may be headed their way.
11. Death Toll To Rise
Given the severity of the storm, it is likely that the number of deaths caused by Hurricane Harvey may rise.
If you are not in Texas and want to help flood victims, here is a guide to do just that and more from anywhere in the United States.
