Here's the Latest on Harvey's Toll on Texas

Trump visits Tuesday; massive flooding to continue for days
By Gina Carey,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 27, 2017 4:35 PM CDT
Updated Aug 27, 2017 5:48 PM CDT
Trump to Travel to Texas Tuesday in Wake of Harvey
Residents are evacuated from their homes surrounded by floodwaters in Houston.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

President Trump plans to go to Texas on Tuesday to view the devastation caused by Harvey, reports the Hill. Trump had tweeted Sunday morning that he wanted to make the trip as a show of support as soon as possible without "causing disruption." Also on Sunday, Trump held a Cabinet meeting by video teleconference about the storm to discuss relief efforts. The latest on Harvey:

  • Deaths: The New York Times reports that five deaths and more than a dozen injuries have been attributed to Harvey in southeast Texas. Details were sketchy about the fatalities, but at least two people were swept away in floodwaters, per ABC News.
  • Forecast: Harvey is currently a tropical storm with 40mph winds, and the National Hurricane Center expects it to spend most of Tuesday back over the ocean before returning to land around the Houston area on Wednesday, reports the AP. The National Weather Service tweeted that rainfall may reach an unprecedented 50 inches in some areas, adding that "catastrophic flooding" is expected to continue for days.
  • Rescues: Houston police say that more than 1,200 people had been rescued for far, with no end in sight, per NBC News. (People had been urged to go to their rooftops earlier.) Authorities are trying to evacuate the city's main public hospital, but it's currently surrounded by too much water. Some highways were under 10 feet of water

  • Recovery could take years: The worst of the flooding may be over in days, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency expects recovery to take much, much longer. "FEMA's going to be there for years," agency chief Brock Long told CNN. "This disaster is going to be a landmark event."
  • Why no evacuation? Per the Washington Post, some are questioning why Houston wasn't evacuated, with conflicting messages about how to weather the storm being sent by officials.
  • How to help: The American Red Cross is taking online donations of money. You can text a donation as well. The Houston Chronicle rounds up other ways to help, including through crowdfunding.
(More Hurricane Harvey stories.)

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