United States: Estimated Hurricane Harvey damage up to $180 billion in Texas /update 15

Event

Estimated damage in Texas from Hurricane Harvey could total $180 billion, making it the costliest hurricane in American history, according to a statement made by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday, September 3. Harvey has killed at least 50 people as of Sunday, and displaced at least 1 million more in Texas and the southern United States. Some 200,000 homes and up to 1 million vehicles were damaged from the historic storm, as well.

Though floodwaters are receding in areas surrounding Houston, Texas, remaining waters carry several health risks, including increased mosquito populations, bacterial and chemical contamination, and mold proliferation. Fires broke out over the past few days at a chemical plant in Crosby, and further chemical plant fires are anticipated in the coming days.

At least 4700 homes in Houston are under new mandatory evacuation orders as of Sunday, September 3. Power has been cut off in parts of western Houston, and further flooding is possible in the area as engineers release water from filled city reservoirs. Areas near the Trinity River, including the town of Liberty, continue to experience severe flooding. Flooding in Beaumont, Texas continues to pose a threat; the city remains under a boil-water order and power outages persist. An oil spill from the Beaumont ExxonMobil refinery was also reported Saturday, September 2.

Context

The storm made first landfall in the US as a Category 4 hurricane (on a scale of 1 to 5) at around 23:00 on Friday, August 25, between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor, Texas. Harvey brought catastrophic flooding to the region, including in the city of Houston. At around 04:00 on Wednesday, August 30, the storm made landfall in Louisiana approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of Cameron, after being downgraded to a tropical storm. The storm was further downgraded to a tropical depression on the night of Wednesday, August 30. A total of 119 cm (47 in) of rain fell since the storm began on Friday, August 25 and approximately 72,000 people have been rescued as of September 2.

Storms are common in the region during the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which officially runs from June 1 to November 30, with a peak of storm activity typically observed in late August and September. Hurricane Harvey is likely the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Bret in 1999.

Advice

Travelers are advised to avoid impacted areas until the situation normalizes. Individuals already in the region are advised to follow local weather forecasts and adhere to all instructions or advice issued by local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders). In the event of flooding, keep in mind that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult. Furthermore, individuals are advised to confirm any flights to the affected areas with their airline.