Waters are still rising in Texas as an unprecedented storm moves across the US state leaving thousands homeless. Damage from Hurricane Harvey may be as bad as Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
FEMA warned that the effects of the hurricane will be felt for years to comeImage: Imago/ZUMA Press/G. Hernandez
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More than two feet (60 cm) of rain fell on Houston by Sunday. It is the worst storm to hit the state in more than 50 years. More than 2,000 people have called in asking to be rescued amid rising floodwaters.
The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, predicted that the aftermath would require FEMA's involvement for years. "This disaster's going to be a landmark event," Long said.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said crews were responding as fast as possible but demand is outstripping supply, although more help is on the way.
"Unless water is coming into your home and it is totally unsafe, I encourage you to stay in your home," Turner said. The mayor said its more dangerous on the road, and that traffic was further hampering rescue efforts.
Forecasters warn that the worst is yet to come, as another 2 feet of rain is expected to fall over the next few days as the system stalls in place.
One federal official said the recovery effort will take "years."
At least two people are confirmed dead, but authorities fear the death toll will rise.
The storm tore off roofs, snapped trees, and triggered tornadoes and flash flooding. Nearly a quarter of a million people lost power, while a large portion of US oil and fuel production was halted.
Hurricane Harvey devastates Texas coastline
Hurricane Harvey, the worst hurricane to hit the US mainland in more than a decade, is continuing to lash the state of Texas with torrential rains, even though its winds have subsided. Damage has already been severe.
Image: Reuters/R. Wilking
Huge amounts of rain
Hurricane Harvey, which hit the coast of the US state of Texas on Friday night as a Category 4 storm, has since weakened. But although the winds may have fallen, the floods have risen, causing widespread havoc, even inland. The full extent of the damage where the storm has already passed is only gradually becoming clear - and it is still raging elsewhere.
Image: Reuters/R. Wilking
Not finished yet
Forecasters say that Harvey, now downgraded to tropical storm status, will linger along the shore for the next four to five days. Two people have already been reported dead as a result of the storm, and many have lost their homes, as in this mobile home park in Port Aransas. Nearly 230,000 people have been hit by power outages.
Image: Imago/ZUMA Press/G. Hernandez
Keeping watch
Texas had plenty of warning that the hurricane, the worst in the state since 1961, was on its way. And officials at the State of Texas Emergency Command Center are keeping a watchful eye on Harvey's slow progress. But they can only do so much to prevent damage as the storm works its way along the coastline.
The city of Rockport was directly in Harvey's path as it made landfall and has suffered extreme damage, the entire extent of which has yet to be assessed. People in Rockport who did not leave the town ahead of the storm were advised by its acting mayor to write their names and social security numbers on their arms in indelible ink to make identification easier if anything happened to them.
Image: Reuters/R. Wilking
Hotel without walls
The Fairfield Inn in Rockport was one of the buildings to suffer extreme damage in the high winds. Homes, businesses and schools were also heavily affected or even destroyed.
Image: Reuters/R. Wilking
In distress
Shipping in the region has been severely disrupted. The US Coast Guard has rescued 20 people from boats and barges in distress. And the third-largest petrochemical port in the US in Corpus Christi was closed with extensive damage.
Image: Reuters/ U.S. Coast Guard
A strong president needed
US President Donald Trump is now facing the first major emergency management test of his administration. And he will be aware of the damage done to George W. Bush's presidency by Bush's slow response to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The White House said Trump had met with his Cabinet and senior administration officials to discuss the federal response to the disaster.
Image: Reuters/A. Brandon
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50 inches of rain expected
As it moved inland, Harvey weakened to a tropical storm but was still expected to last several days, dumping as much as 50 inches (125 centimeters) of rain in some areas. The National Hurricane Center said the rain could cause widespread flooding.
"Rainfall measured in feet rather than inches can certainly create a catastrophic flood," spokesman Dennis Feltgen said.
One person died in a house fire in the town of Rockport, which took a direct hit from the hurricane, Mayor Charles Wax said in a news conference on Saturday.
Gary Norman, a spokesman for the Houston emergency operations center, said one woman appeared to have gotten out of her car in high water and was swept away. She died at the scene.
Another dozen people in the area suffered injuries such as broken bones, another official said.
Authorities said they were bracing for heavy rains and flooding even as they planned how to respond to the damage. Officials were unsure if there were further casualties in the town, which was left without electricity or cellphone and internet service.
Thousands help in cleanup
Hurricane Harvey: 'A major disaster'
The governor of the US state of Texas has warned of a "major disaster" in the wake of Hurricane Harvey's landfall. Residents have fled areas within the hurricane's path, with authorities fearing the worst.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Ralston
Preparations
Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned people ahead of landfall that Hurricane Harvey "is going to be a very major disaster." Emergency services installed surge walls on critical roads near the Gulf Coast as the hurricane gained strength before reaching land.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/N.Wagner
Empty shelves
In a rush to prepare for the major hurricane, shoppers have emptied shelves at grocery stores. In the wake of a devastating hurricane, there can be a general lack of access to basic supplies, including food, medicine and water.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/D.J.Philip
Surf's up
While emergency services prepared for Hurricane Harvey, others took the opportunity to surf. Ahead of major hurricanes, surfers have often taken to the rough waves before a major hurricane for a thrill ride.
Image: picture alliance/AP Images/D.J.Phillip
Cats before the storm
Preparing for a hurricane means different things for different people. For volunteers at the Calhoun Country Humane Society, it means rushing to find homes for the remaining animals at the shelter.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A.Ramirez
A huge swirl from space ...
Hurricane Harvey was a threatening sight as it came in from the Gulf of Mexico. The extent of Harvey is well-captured in this shot from the GOES-16 satellite.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMA Wire/Noaa
... and huge damage on the ground
These traffic lights in Corpus Christi shine on despite having been bowled over by the winds ahead of Hurricane Harvey. Authorities expect widespread devastation.
Image: Reuters/A. Latif
Battered coastline
Seaside houses in Corpus Christi have come in for a bruising, after Harvey barreled into the Texas coast with winds of 209 kilometers per hour (130 miles per hour). But the hurricane was later downgraded from Category 4 - the second-highest - to Category 2. That still means wind speeds of up to 177 kilometers per hour, though.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Saturday said 1,800 military personnel would help with the statewide cleanup, while 1,000 people would conduct search-and-rescue operations.
The US Coast Guard said it had rescued 20 people from distressed vessels on Saturday, adding it was also monitoring two cruise ships stranded with thousands of passengers in the Gulf of Mexico.
It was the first big natural disaster for US President Donald Trump, who signed a disaster proclamation on Friday. He met with his Cabinet and staff on Saturday to discuss the federal response to the disaster, according to a White House statement.
Residents of Rockport choosing to stay were warned to mark their names on their arms to ease identification of their bodiesImage: Reuters/A. Latif
"President Trump emphasized his expectations that all departments and agencies stay fully engaged and positioned to support his number one priority of saving lives," the statement said.
By Saturday night Houston's interstate highways and major streets were starting to flood as Harvey stalled over Southeast Texas. The fourth most populous city in the country was expecting several feet of rain in the coming days.
"This is serious," Mayor Sylvester Turner said late on Saturday. "It is important that people stay off the roads."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency warned the storm would have a major long-term impact.
"This is going to be an unprecedented long and frustrating event for the state of Texas," FEMA director Brock Long told the MSNBC television network. "The recovery from this disaster is going to be years."
