Washington, August 30 (IANS): Hurricane Harvey made a second landfall near the Louisiana-Texas border in the US on Wednesday, dousing the region with heavy rain that could lead to “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding”.
The rainfall that caused a deluge in Texas ended for the most part in Houston and was moving east, threatening to dump an additional 8-12 inches, the National Weather Service was quoted as saying by CNN. Harvey is expected to bring winds of 30-40 mph and a 2-4 foot storm surge along the Louisiana-Texas border, the report said.
Louisiana beefed up its emergency resources, doubling up on high water vehicles, boats and helicopters on duty. “We are dealing with a state that has already had a lot of rain this summer, so we are very aware and conscious of the potential for flooding,” said Col. Ed Bush, a public affairs officer for the Louisiana National Guard.
Southeastern Texas, including the saturated Houston area, was dealing with the aftermath of the catastrophic storm that reportedly claimed 20 lives and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a midnight to 5 a.m. curfew until further notice. He tweeted the move was meant to prevent property crimes at evacuated homes. For the first time since Harvey rammed Houston over the weekend, authorities said the floodwaters that turned the city into rivers were slowly receding in some areas.
