Hurricane Harvey: 'Catastrophic' flooding to hit Texas

Texas might be hit via "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding", the us countrywide storm center has warned, as storm harvey moves inland.
The category four storm - the biggest to hit america mainland in thirteen years - battered regions of the texas coast for hours. It has now been downgraded to a tropical hurricane.
Some residents are feared to be trapped in collapsed buildings and there were enormous power outages.
Torrential rains are anticipated for days.
Up to 40in (101cm) of rain could fall in a few areas of the middle and upper texas coast, the hurricane center (nhc) warned.
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Several places are already reported to have obtained well over 10in.
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Coastal areas may also be flooded by way of hurricane surges during excessive tide, the nhc said.In advance, harvey made a double landfall: north-east of the city of corpus christi initially past due on friday local time, then simply north of rockport a few hours later.
While the hurricane struck near corpus christi it had winds of as much as 130mph (215km/h), however with the aid of 18:00 gmt its sustained winds had dropped to 70mph - therefore turning into a tropical typhoon.
It changed into moving at an extremely low velocity - 2mph.
Utility agencies say extra than 2 hundred,000 clients are with out electricity.
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Predominant challenge is for rockport
By means of bbc's james prepare dinner, corpus christi
Harvey was pretty ferocious whilst it came ashore, with screeching wind all night time. We noticed an affordable amount of damage being caused by debris flying through the air.
There's no sign though of any critical structural harm in the immediately region here in corpus christi. But the fundamental situation is for the city of rockport, in which the eye of the typhoon came ashore.
There's subject there approximately a number of homes.
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After releasing up federal useful resource for the worst-affected areas, president donald trump praised emergency services in a tweet, saying: "you're doing a brilliant task - the sector is looking! Be secure."
Rockport, usually domestic to approximately 10,000 humans, seems to were the hardest hit metropolis.
In pictures: harvey batters texas
The roof of a housing centre for aged human beings there collapsed, trapping human beings, 10 of whom had been later taken to a county jail for remedy, consistent with local tv station kiii.
Emergency offerings stated a college, a motel and other buildings had additionally suffered structural damage.
Map indicates direction of the typhoon in texas
Before the typhoon arrived, mayor patrick rios had a stark warning for all and sundry who refused to go away city: "we're suggesting if human beings are going to stay here, mark their arm with a sharpie pen with their name and social security quantity."
Whilst the hurricane struck near rockport, wind speeds had been 125mph.
Government have now not been able to investigate the total extent of the damage. Photos posted on social media show collapsed trees and homes.
Jessica campbell hugs jonathan fitzgerald (l-r) after riding out hurricane harvey in an condo on august 26, 2017 in rockport, texasimage copyrightgetty images
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Rockport turned into hit in particular hard
Port aransas, a town on mustang island, close to corpus christi, is likewise stated to have massive harm. Nearby media reports say a seek and rescue operation is underneath way at a trailer park.
Travis pettis, a reporter with the caller times newspaper in corpus christi, instructed the bbc that sturdy winds when the storm arrived made the rain sense like "needles".
"it become quite crazy obtainable. The winds, i don't know what [speed] they topped at however you can barely even stroll," he stated.
Trees came down inside the town and energy resources were reduce, but lots of residents had heeded warnings and boarded up their houses before fleeing.
About 325,000 people live in corpus christi.
Valerie brown walks through a flooded region in rockport, texasimage copyrightgetty pictures
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Heavy rain is already flooding a few regions
Governor greg abbot stated it become apparent texas become confronting a "very principal disaster", and greater than 1,000 national guardsmen might assist with the comfort operation.
Lively guide: hurricanes
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Harvey is the primary main storm of the atlantic storm season. It's miles forecast to meander across south-east texas until wednesday.


Media captionweather in the place for the week in advance
Oil-rich houston, the fourth biggest metropolis within the us, should withstand 20in of rain over the coming days.
Residents there need to "now not be complacent" and have to stay at domestic and "journey out the storm", francisco sanchez, a spokesman for harris county's emergency management office, instructed the bbc.
"the maximum intense climate is yet to return" within the houston region, he said.
About 4,500 inmates from prisons south of houston are being evacuated to different prisons in east texas due to the fact the brazos river close by is growing appreciably, officials say.
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James cook dinner ✔ @bbcjamescook
The little town of rockport has suffered excessive harm from #hurricaneharvey.
9:55 pm - aug 26, 2017
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Mr trump is in all likelihood to go to texas early next week, the white house stated.
The typhoon is the most powerful to hit the usa in view that charley in august 2004 and the maximum powerful to hit texas due to the fact that typhoon carla in 1961, which killed 34 people, in line with the houston chronicle.