US: Hurricane wreaks havoc across gulf coast
Massive flooding unleashed by storm Harvey has left Houston – the fourth-largest city in America – increasingly isolated with its airports and highways shut down and many residents stranded in their homes.
The city’s two main airports have suspended all commercial flights and two hospitals have been forced to evacuate patients. A local television station was also knocked off the air.
At least three people have been killed so far, with reports of other fatalities still unconfirmed. As night fell, dramatic rescues – sometimes by volunteers with their own boats – were still taking place.
"Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding" continues in southeastern Texas as the remnants of former Hurricane Harvey menace the drenched state. Bands of storm have been repeatedly pummeling the same areas, as Tropical Storm Harvey moves slowly towards Louisiana. Over the next few days the storm is forecast to head back into the Gulf of Mexico, where it could pick up moisture before moving back over Galveston and into Houston again, CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis said, meaning at least four more days of rain.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that flash flood emergencies are in effect for some areas and the rain is not letting up.
It says that up to 25 inches of rain could fall through Friday over the upper Texas coast, while "isolated storm totals may reach 50 inches over the upper Texas coast, including the Houston Galveston metropolitan area."