Harvey death toll rises

As floodwaters receded in the Houston area Wednesday, the death toll related to Harvey continued to rise, with authorities discovering more bodies trapped in homes and cars. Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences spokeswoman Tricia Bentley said the medical examiner is conducting autopsies to determine the cause of death of victims and will continue to update the number of dead as more bodies are found. The estimated number of tropical storm–related deaths currently stands at more than 30. Authorities on Wednesday recovered the remains of six family members—two adults and four children—who were trapped in a van. The vehicle was swept into Green’s Bayou in northeast Houston on Sunday when its driver attempted to cross a bridge. The driver managed to escape through a window, but he was unable to pull his elderly parents or their great-grandchildren out of the van. Police could not reach the vehicle Monday or Tuesday, but relatives of the victims alerted authorities Wednesday that they could finally see parts of the van above the waterline. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the van and all six bodies were recovered from about 10 feet of muddy water.

See “Harvey Relief” for information on organizations assisting victims affected by the storm.