Hurricane Harvey

[Stonecold]

With hurricane Harvey coming this weekend I must say Trump is on the ball. FEMA is already here and has brought lots of water, food and equipment.
I can not stomach Gov Abbot of Tx but I also give him credit as he already has national guard ready to help people. Abbot has gathered crews of electric trucks from all over Texas and they are on standby to help restore power. I am happy that Gov Abbot is good for something. Texas does not order mandatory evacuations but leaves it up to local counties. The majority of counties in harms way will order evacs but they do not force you, they let you know if you stay against mandatory evacs that you will be on your own until after the worse is over. We will be hunkered down and staying home because of all of our rescue cats. I keep hoping Hurricane Harvey will stay far enough away and that we won't get more then two feet of rain but the cats are already racing around the house and jumping on everything and knocking things over way more then usual so I am expecting the worse.

 

[W!nston]

You and yours will be in my thoughts and I'll be watching for the "all's clear" signal from you here or "over there" as soon as the storm has passed.

I know you're prepared so I won't bother telling you to have plenty of food, water, batteries and rain gear ready nor to put your valuable papers and important keepsakes in zip-loc bags down inside sturdy black garbage bags and I won't mention to have your vehicles gassed up.

I'm glad I didn't try to tell you to do things you already know to do.

Best wishes my friend and keep us posted.

 

[Shelter]

I hope from deep of the bottom of my heart that this horrible event will go again without too much destruction and hopefully it will take no lives.

This is the moment where I'm so very happy and thank God that I'm living in such part of the world where these hurricanes never will come. So very often I'll be whining about our bad rainy weather - but rather bad rainy weather but no hurricanes or earthquakes.

 

[gorgik9]

I hope from deep of the bottom of my heart that this horrible event will go again without too much destruction and hopefully it will take no lives.

This is the moment where I'm so very happy and thank God that I'm living in such part of the world where these hurricanes never will come. So very often I'll be whining about our bad rainy weather - but rather bad rainy weather but no hurricanes or earthquakes.

Precisely my thoughts! The only thing I have to whine about is that this summer in my parts of Sweden has been pretty chilly, not many days with a temperature over 20 C - but I much prefer that from many day with 40 C in the shadow which haiducii have had to cope with, and I don't have to cope with hurricanes.

So what I'm whining about is nothing to whine about AT ALL !

I do hope that hurricane Harvey don't bring too awful destruction over my American friends :big hug:

 

[topdog]

...We will be hunkered down and staying home because of all of our rescue cats. I keep hoping Hurricane Harvey will stay far enough away and that we won't get more then two feet of rain but the cats are already racing around the house and jumping on everything and knocking things over way more then usual so I am expecting the worse.

Two FEET!! Vermont turned in to a flooded out disaster zone with 10 inches. I hope you have a boat. Or, maybe preferably for your cats, an ark.

 

[W!nston]

I just read that Hurricane Harvey has been upgraded to Category 4 storm.

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane's sustained wind speed. This scale estimates potential property damage. Hurricanes reaching Category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage. Category 1 and 2 storms are still dangerous, however, and require preventative measures. In the western North Pacific, the term "super typhoon" is used for tropical cyclones with sustained winds exceeding 150 mph.

Category Sustained Winds Types of Damage Due to Hurricane Winds

1 74-95 mph
64-82 kt
119-153 km/h Very dangerous winds will produce some damage: Well-constructed frame homes could have damage to roof, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters. Large branches of trees will snap and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled. Extensive damage to power lines and poles likely will result in power outages that could last a few to several days.

2 96-110 mph
83-95 kt
154-177 km/h Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage: Well-constructed frame homes could sustain major roof and siding damage. Many shallowly rooted trees will be snapped or uprooted and block numerous roads. Near-total power loss is expected with outages that could last from several days to weeks.

3
(major) 111-129 mph
96-112 kt
178-208 km/h Devastating damage will occur: Well-built framed homes may incur major damage or removal of roof decking and gable ends. Many trees will be snapped or uprooted, blocking numerous roads. Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes.

4
(major) 130-156 mph
113-136 kt
209-251 km/h Catastrophic damage will occur: Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

5
(major) 157 mph or higher
137 kt or higher
252 km/h or higher Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

 

[topdog]

I just read that Hurricane Harvey has been upgraded to Category 4 storm.

I'm watching the Weather Channel and the wind is so loud that Jim Cantore is just about unintelligible.

Of course the scary part is the rain that falls for 4 or more days. Someone just said some areas could get 30 inches! Of course where can all that water go? That part of Texas is kind of flat, so gravity won't be pulling the water away.

Then you have the fact that FEMA and others help can't reach anyone in flooded areas. They need the water to go down so they can bring in supplies. But even when the rain stops - that doesn't mean that the water goes away. This is where the comparisons with Katrina come in. It was almost a week before help could get in to New Orleans. That time frame could be even longer for the Texas coast.

And speaking of New Orleans - if this storm goes anywhere its heading towards Louisiana. A foot or two of rain in New Orleans could be catastrophic, especially now when not all of their pumps are working.

I also saw a scenario of later in the week where high pressure from the midwest pushes Harvey back out to see, it regains strength, and then comes ashore again.

 

[W!nston]

This could grow to a disaster of biblical proportions.

 

[tonka]

You are in the eye of a Biblical storm, Stonecold.
Two feet of rain is beyond belief. Can you swim, my friend?

You are in our thoughts and prayers. Let us know how you are.

 

[Stonecold]

So far we are safe and all the cats are also.
Want to share a couple of cute things from this terrible storm.

This dog got lost near Corpus but he sure was prepared for his journey. The good news he was later reunited with his owner.

Another happy story
Harvey the hurricane hawk

HOUSTON (KTRK) --
A Houston taxi driver picked up an unusual passenger Friday as Hurricane Harvey approached Texas.

William Bruso came back to his taxi after shopping for storm supplies, when he realized a Coopers hawk was sitting in the passenger seat of his car.

According to Bruso, the hawk was not injured in any way, but refused to leave the car.

Bruso speculated the hawk was looking for a place to, "hunker down" during the storm, so he named him, "Harvey the Hurricane Hawk."

Bruso has been giving updates on the hawk's situation and plans to contact an animal professional once the hurricane passes. For now, though, Harvey the Hurricane Hawk is riding out the storm with Bruso and his family.

 

[Lihprialb]

Stay safe Harvey the hurricane Hawk.

 

[W!nston]

Catastrophic floods strike Houston; thousands flee homes

Catastrophic floods strike Houston; thousands flee homes

HOUSTON (AP) — The remnants of Hurricane Harvey sent devastating floods pouring into the nation's fourth-largest city Sunday as rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground and overwhelmed rescuers who could not keep up with the constant calls for help.

Helicopters, boats and high-water vehicles swarmed around inundated Houston neighborhoods, pulling people from their homes or from the turbid water, which was high enough in some places to gush into second floors.

The flooding was so widespread that authorities had trouble pinpointing the worst areas. They urged people to get on top of their homes to avoid becoming trapped in attics and to wave sheets or towels to draw attention to their location.

As the water rose, the National Weather Service offered another ominous forecast: Before the storm passes, some parts of Houston and its suburbs could receive as much as 50 inches (1.3 meters) of rain. That would be the highest amount ever recorded in Texas.

"The breadth and intensity of this rainfall is beyond anything experienced before," the National Weather Service said in a statement.

Average rainfall totals will end up around 40 inches (1 meter) for Houston, weather service meteorologist Patrick Burke said.

The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said the government expected to conduct a "mass care mission" and predicted that the aftermath of the storm would require FEMA's involvement for years.

"This disaster's going to be a landmark event," Long said.

Rescuers had to give top priority to life-and-death situations, leaving many displaced families to fend for themselves. The city's main convention center was quickly opened as a shelter.

Gillis Leho arrived there soaking wet. She said she awoke Sunday to find her downstairs flooded. She tried to move some belongings upstairs, then grabbed her grandchildren.

"When they told us the current was getting high, we had to bust a window to get out," Leho said.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez used Twitter to field calls for assistance. Among those seeking help was a woman who posted: "I have 2 children with me and the water is swallowing us up."

Some people used inflatable beach toys, rubber rafts and even air mattresses to get through the water to safety. Others waded while carrying trash bags stuffed with their belongings and small animals in pet carriers.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said authorities had received more than 2,000 calls for help, with more coming in. He urged drivers to stay off flooded roads to avoid adding to the number of those stranded.

"I don't need to tell anyone this is a very, very serious and unprecedented storm," Turner told a news conference. "We have several hundred structural flooding reports. We expect that number to rise pretty dramatically."

The mayor defended his decision not to ask residents to evacuate before the heavy rain from Harvey swamped roads and neighborhoods. He said there was no way to know which areas were most vulnerable.

"If you think the situation right now is bad, and you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare," he said, citing the risks of sending the city's 2.3 million inhabitants onto the highways at the same time.

Rainfall of more than 4 inches per hour resulted in water levels higher than in any recent floods and higher than during Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001, said Jeff Linder of flood control district in Harris County, which includes Houston.

Rescuers came by land, water and air.

On Interstate 45 south of downtown, television video showed people climbing over concrete dividers to get to a high-wheel dump truck that appeared to be wheels-deep in water on a service road. They clambered up the side of the truck to get into the dump box.

In Friendswood near Houston, authorities asked people with flat-bottomed airboats or fuel for them to help rescue people.

Jesse Gonzalez, and his son, also named Jesse, used their boat to rescue people from a southeast Houston neighborhood. Asked what he had seen, the younger Gonzalez replied: "A lot of people walking and a lot of dogs swimming."

"It's chest- to shoulder-deep out there in certain areas," he told television station KTRK as the pair grabbed a gasoline can to refill their boat.

The Coast Guard, which received more than 300 requests for help, deployed five helicopters and asked for additional aircraft from New Orleans.

Staff at a Houston television station broadcasting live coverage of the floods had to evacuate after water started to gush into the building. The anchors and news operations at KHOU moved first to a second floor before finally abandoning the station.

Rainfall totals climbed by the hour. Since Thursday, South Houston had received nearly 25 inches (63 centimeters) and the suburbs of Santa Fe and Dayton got 27 inches (69 centimeters).

President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday morning that he would visit Texas "as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety."

The rescues unfolded a day after the hurricane settled over the Texas coastline. It was blamed for killing at least two people.

One person was killed in Aransas County in a fire at home during the storm, county Judge C.H. "Burt" Mills Jr. said.

Another person — a woman who tried to get out of her vehicle in high water — died in flooding in Harris County, where Houston is located, though authorities had not confirmed a cause of death, said Gary Norman, a spokesman for the Houston emergency operations center.

The fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade came ashore late Friday about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Corpus Christi as a mammoth Category 4 storm with 130 mph (209 kph) winds.

Harvey weakened Saturday to a tropical storm. On Sunday, it was virtually stationary about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Victoria, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph (72.42 kph), the hurricane center said.

The system was the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961's Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.

Source: Yahoo/AP

The aftermath is worse than the storm itself. There's a video in the original article you might want to watch. It is a tragedy.

 

[gorgik9]

American friends, my thoughts are with you. Horrible news...

 

[Stonecold]

We finally have power restored. Early this morning I barely made it through to go pickup my other half from work. I am so glad I still have my old 85 chevy truck The encore will have to stay at his work for several days as it will not make it through the flooded streets. His boss is demanding he make it back into work tonight as she was very unhappy he went home this morning as she wanted people to stay there so they could make it back in tonight. I am not sure the truck will make it tonight so I think she will just have to get over it. We are waiting on a call from the union to see what his rights are. We have one room with a tree limb in it but still feel very lucky with all the more serious suffering going on. Power was off for only around 12 hours but since it was jammed full I have decided to empty some of the top layer out and let the cats dine on croaker filets since they have been so stressed out.

Want to thank all of you for your good thoughts sent our way. and NYC for sending emergency workers and it is comforting seeing the military rescuing people off roof tops.
More than 3,000 Guard members are working to rescue people affected by the storm (that number increased from around 2,000 Guard members earlier this afternoon). They are using black hawk helicopters.
Over 1,000 high water rescues have been performed and in some places emergency crews cannot reach the worst hit areas,” according to the National Weather Service on Sunday.

I also have an update on Harvey the Hurricane Hawk, Harvey is now in the hands of the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition of Houston.

 

[topdog]

We finally have power restored....

:big hug: Good to hear that you are OK! Getting power back is a huge milestone.

As for your hubby's work - his boss may have a point if he is a doctor or power grid engineer. or some other emergency services provider. But if this is just about keeping the business going, then I don't think she can force workers to abandon their families on the chance that unsafe conditions would prevent them from returning. Businesses close when there are snowstorms and people can't get to work. (I realize that means nothing to you down there in South Texas!) I don't think you can kidnap your work force and hold them hostage as insurance for bad weather.

 

[W!nston]

Hurricane Harvey: Photo of Texas nursing home residents in waist-deep

Hurricane Harvey: Photo of Texas nursing home residents in waist-deep water prompts rescue

Hurricane Harvey: Photo of Texas nursing home residents in waist-deep water prompts rescue[/CENTER]

A startling image of elderly women in a Texas nursing home surrounded by waist-deep flood waters, covered by blankets and sopping wet personal items stunned viewers on social media Sunday morning and prompted an emergency evacuation of the facility.

Galveston County Commissioner Ken Clark told ABC News that 20-25 residents at La Vita Bella Nursing home were safely evacuated from the flooded building in Dickinson. David Popoff, the city’s emergency management coordinator told Galveston County Daily News they were rescued by helicopter.

Timothy McIntosh, whose mother-in-law owns the nursing home, posted the photo and pleaded for emergency help.

“Need help asap emergency services please RETWEET,” wrote McIntosh. His tweets caught the attention thousands on social media and the national guard was notified of the nursing home’s situation.

“Latest update on La Vita Bella home in Dickinson, TX.On "purple" high priority list. Coast Guard on route right now for rescue.#HoustonFlood,” said McIntosh on Twitter.

By the early afternoon, McIntosh posted that the residents had been safely evacuated.

“RESCUED!! Thank you to the National Guard & the Galveston City Emergency crew for our rescue; @GalvestonOEM #houstonflood @NationalGuard”

"We're very grateful," McIntosh told ABC News about the nursing home rescue. He said he believes the rescue would not have taken place so quickly without the attention his photo received on Twitter.

Source

This is so sad. To see these helpless people facing certain death in the flood. Imagine being invalid and the water rising around you like that. I know they were terrified.

This is an instance where social media actually saved lives right before our eyes.

 

[Stonecold]

Yes, the union has shut the place down for the next 24 hours and let it be known she way overstepped her authority.

 

[slimjim]

The photo of the nursing home is truly disturbing but from what I am seeing on the news channels here in UK it is probably not unexpected sadly - simply due to the totally unprecedented level of flooding and infrastructure damage that the emergency services are trying to deal with coupled with the thousands and thousands of people affected. 30in/750mm of rain is the average annual rainfall in UK and parts of Texas has had that (and more) in the last 2 days. The one statistic I have not seen is the area of flooded land but I'm guessing its tens, if not hundreds of square miles?

Here's hoping that the storm moves off or eases down and the rain stops and that the injuries/death toll does not escalate

 

[brmstn69]

"Cajun Navy" to the rescue...




And I love this, a group of teens trying to join the rescue effort, the reporter ask...

"Do your parents know you're here?"

 

[Stonecold]

We seen the sun just before sunset, what a beautiful site. The rain has now stopped in Houston. Fema is now here in full force along with 12,000 national guard. Hopefully some stores will be able to open tomorrow. There are over 30,000 people in shelters and they have now called for an end to donations as they are over flowing with clothes, diapers and food. I worry about the low income people that have lost so much and won't be able to work for weeks or longer. My hubby goes back to work tomorrow night so we are very thankful. Our area got a total of 42.8 inches.