Relief in sight for Houston as Harvey heads east

HOUSTON—Residents in the nation’s fourth largest city awoke Tuesday to a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Forecasters expect Harvey to move northeast into Louisiana by Tuesday afternoon, bringing the longed-for relief from days of unprecedented rainfall from the tropical storm. Houston normally gets 49.77 inches of rain on average annually. Between June 1 and Aug. 28, the total has topped 50 inches. Since midnight Saturday, about 28 inches of rain fell at Bush Intercontinental Airport, on the city’s north side, while 33 inches fell at Houston Hobby Airport, on the south side. As night fell Monday, thousands of people continued to slosh out of flooded neighborhoods seeking shelter. About 9,000 people spent the night at the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown. Although the facility only had beds for 5,000, city officials reported no problems. Shelters also opened in area churches and schools. Once the rain stops, most of water still filling so much of the city will begin to drain, but officials warn some areas have more misery in store as rivers rise toward their crests. The Brazos River, on the west side of Houston, is expected to crest at a record-breaking 59 feet Thursday morning. The river has seeped into more than 70 neighborhoods already. Houston police have rescued more than 3,000 people so far, and the U.S. Coast Guard has saved another 3,000. The official death toll remains at three, but Police Chief Art Acevedo warned that number will rise as the water recedes and search crews begin assessing damaged areas.

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