Tropical Storm Harvey may be on its way out of Texas, but the state — particularly Houston — has a long road to recovery ahead.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Tuesday evening that he was issuing a mandatory midnight to 5 a.m. curfew on the city “to prevent potential criminal acts.” But many Texans are still worried about what lies ahead.
Here’s where things stand:
The death toll is continuing to rise
In the days following the storm, multiple deaths have been confirmed. According to the New York Times, since Friday, 30 people have been killed as a result of the storm.
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This morning, the Associated Press reported that authorities had found a shivering 18-month-old toddler clinging to the body of her drowned mother in Southeast Texas. Officials say the woman was trying to carry her daughter to safety when flood waters swept them both away. The toddler is now in stable condition at a Houston hospital.
Rainfall may be coming to a halt, but recovery efforts will be ongoing
There have been more than 50 inches of rain recorded over the past few days — but that may be stopping soon.
Hurricane Harvey was previously described by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as “one of the worst disasters in Texas history.” Now, Harvey is showing signs of leaving the Texas coast and made landfall earlier this morning in southwest Louisiana. Even after the storm leaves Texas, however, Houston will have ways to go before its returns back to its normal state.
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Up to 30 percent of Harris County — which is home to 4.5 million people — is underwater, ABC News tweeted this morning. They added that this is the equivalent of New York City and Chicago combined.
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Storm Front Weather tweeted this morning that Port Arthur and Beaumont are both facing catastrophic flooding. The National Weather Service has also issued flash flood warnings for Southeast Texas, Harris County, Jefferson County and Galveston County, among others. The NWS is keeping an updated list of counties under flash flood warning on its website.
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Homes worst hit by Harvey may wait months for power to come back, Bloomberg notes. Even after the city has finished repairing damaged power lines, electricians have to certify flooded homes before they’re able to reinstate service.
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It’s also likely that Houstonians will see their property values drop — even by as much as 60 percent — over the next few years.
Help is on the way
Several Texas officials have made statements letting Houstonians know that despite the heavy rains and severe casualties, there are several resources available to storm victims.
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On Tuesday evening, the Texas Supreme Court issued an order allowing out-of-state lawyers assist Harvey victims.
- This morning, the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management tweeted that it had received an overwhelming amount of support from people offering their boats for rescue. “Thx to them, we have all the assets we need,” the tweet read.
Source: Texas Tribune Blue News
