Hurricane Harvey was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the United

States since Wilma in 2005, ending a record 12-year period with no major hurricanes
making landfall in the country. In a four-day period, many areas received more than
40 inches (1,000 mm) of rain as the system meandered over eastern Texas and
adjacent waters, causing catastrophic flooding. With peak accumulations of 51.88 in
(1,318 mm), Harvey is the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the contiguous
United States. The resulting floods inundated hundreds of thousands of homes,
displaced more than 30,000 people, and prompted more than 17,000 rescues.

The eighth named storm, third hurricane, and the first major hurricane of the 2017
Atlantic hurricane season, Harvey developed from a tropical wave to the east of the
Lesser Antilles, reaching tropical storm status on August 17. The storm crossed
through the Windward Islands on the following day, passing just south of Barbados
and later near Saint Vincent. Upon entering the Caribbean Sea, Harvey began to
weaken due to moderate wind shear and degenerated into a tropical wave north of
Colombia early on August 19. The remnants were monitored for regeneration as it
continued west-northwestward across the Caribbean and the Yucatn Peninsula, before
redeveloping over the Bay of Campeche on August 23. Harvey then began to rapidly
intensify on August 24, regaining tropical storm status and becoming a hurricane
later that day. While the storm moved generally northwest, Harvey's intensification
phase stalled slightly overnight from August 2425; however, Harvey soon resumed
strengthening and quickly became a major hurricane[nb 1] and attained Category 4
intensity later that day. Hours later, Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas,
at peak intensity.

Harvey has caused at least 51 confirmed deaths; 1 in Guyana,[1] and 50 in the

United States.[2] Catastrophic inland flooding is ongoing in the Greater Houston
metropolitan area. FEMA director Brock Long called Harvey the worst disaster in
Texas history, and expected the recovery to take many years.[3] Economic losses are
preliminarily estimated at between $70[4] to $190 billion,[5] with a large portion
of the losses sustained by uninsured homeowners.

Contents [hide]
1 Meteorological history
2 Preparations
2.1 Caribbean and Latin America
2.2 United States
2.2.1 Video briefings by officials
2.2.2 Texas
2.2.3 Louisiana
3 Effects in the Caribbean and Latin America
4 Effects in the United States
4.1 Texas
4.1.1 Landfall area
4.1.2 Houston metropolitan area flooding
4.1.3 Deep East Texas and BeaumontPort Arthur area
4.2 Louisiana
4.3 Elsewhere
4.4 Energy production
4.5 Athletics
5 Aftermath
5.1 Texas
5.2 Economic loss estimates
5.3 Non-governmental organization response
5.4 Foreign government response
5.5 Health and environmental hazards in flood waters
6 Environmental factors
6.1 Urban development
6.2 Subsidence
6.3 Climate change
6.4 Sea level rise
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the SaffirSimpson
scale
Early on August 13, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring a tropical
wave on the western coast of Africa. Amid favorable environmental conditions, the
wave was expected to merge with a broad area of low pressure southwest of Cape
Verde and gradually organize thereafter.[6] Instead, the two disturbances remained
separate, with the broad trough continuing westward and the tropical wave moving
farther north.[7] On August 17, shower and thunderstorm activity in association
with the trough began to show signs of organization,[8] while high-resolution
satellite showed an increasingly defined low-level circulation.[9] As such, the NHC
initiated advisories on a potential tropical cyclone, allowing tropical storm
watches and warnings to be hoisted for portions of the Lesser Antilles.[10] An Air
Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft deployed to the disturbance later that
afternoon found a well-defined center and tropical storm-force winds, prompting the
NHC to upgrade it to Tropical Storm Harvey at 21:00 UTC.[11] Following its
designation, the cyclone moved swiftly westward into the Caribbean Sea under the
influence of an expansive ridge of high pressure to its north. An environment of
moderate wind shear complicated the forecast of the storm's intensity, with global
forecast models suggesting dissipation in the central Caribbean, whereas
statistical and hurricane models suggested the potential for Harvey to be near
hurricane strength in later days.[11] Over the next day, the storm changed little
in structure, remaining poorly organized with its low-level center on the eastern
edge of associated deep convection.[12] Harvey's presentation began to deteriorate
early on August 19; its convective pattern became elongated while the circulation
became less defined. In fact, a reconnaissance aircraft was unable to find a
loosely-closed circulation at 850 mb (4,781 ft), though it did locate one at lower
levels.[13] Harvey was downgraded to a tropical depression at 21:00 UTC on August
19;[14] six hours later, based on continued data from a reconnaissance aircraft, it
was declared an open tropical wave.[15]

File:First pass through the eye of -HurricaneHarvey in WP-3D Orion -NOAA42

Credi....webm
View from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft flying through the eye of the storm on
August 24
Early on August 20, the NHC began monitoring the remnants of Harvey for
redevelopment. Although the effects of strong upper-level winds and dry air were
expected to limit development in the near-term, conditions were expected to become
more conducive to tropical storm and hurricane conditions when the disturbance
entered the northwestern Caribbean Sea, and especially in the Bay of Campeche.[16]
Despite an increase in convective organization, the disturbance still lacked a
well-defined center as it approached the Yucatn Peninsula.[17] While traversing
inland, satellite images and surface observations indicated that the circulation
became better defined.[18] A reconnaissance aircraft investigating the remnants of
Harvey around 15:00 UTC on August 23 indicated that it once again acquired a well-
defined center, and the NHC upgraded it to a tropical depression accordingly.[19]
The system began to slowly consolidate amid an increasingly favorable environment,
[20] attaining tropical storm intensity by 06:00 UTC on August 24.[21] Later that
morning, Harvey began to undergo rapid intensification as an eye developed and its
central pressure quickly fell.[22] By 17:00 UTC, the storm was upgraded to the
third hurricane of the season.[23] Slight entrainment of dry air slowed the
intensification process, however, by the next day, Harvey was able to quickly
strengthen into a Category 3 major hurricane by 19:00 UTC.[24] Further deepening
occurred as the storm approached the coast of Texas, with Harvey becoming a
Category 4 hurricane at 23:00 UTC, based on reconnaissance aircraft data.[25]
Around 03:00 UTC on August 26, the hurricane made landfall at peak intensity at
Rockport with winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and an atmospheric pressure of 938 mbar
(27.7 inHg).[26] Harvey became the first major hurricane to make landfall in the
United States since Wilma in 2005 and the strongest in terms of wind speed to hit
the country since Charley in 2004. It was the first hurricane to strike Texas since
Ike in 2008,[27] the first major hurricane in the state since Bret in 1999, and the
strongest in Texas since Carla in 1961.[28]

Harvey as a hurricane on August 24

After striking land, the storm moved over the Copano Bay and made a second landfall
in Texas just north of Holiday Beach at 06:00 UTC on August 26 as a Category 3
hurricane.[29] Afterwards, rapid weakening ensued as its speed slowed dramatically
to a crawl, and Harvey weakened to a tropical storm at 18:00 UTC on August 26.[30]
For about two days the storm stalled just inland, dropping very heavy rainfall and
causing widespread flash flooding. Harvey's center drifted back towards the
southeast, positioning itself near or just off the Texas coast at Matagorda by
15:00 UTC on August 28.[31]

Preparations
Caribbean and Latin America

Tropical Storm Harvey in the Eastern Caribbean on August 18

Tropical cyclone warnings and watches for the Windward Islands were issued starting
at 15:00 UTC on August 17, about six hours before Harvey developed. At that time, a
tropical storm watch was posted for Dominica, while a tropical storm warning became
in effect in Barbados, Martinique, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines.[10] All watches and warnings were discontinued by late on August 18, as
the storm continued westward into the Caribbean.[32]

In Honduras, a green alert was issued for the Atlntida, Islas de la Baha, Coln,
Corts, Gracias a Dios, Olancho, and Yoro departments. About 8 inches (20 cm) of
precipitation was expected along the coast, while inland areas were forecast to
receive 2.76 to 3.15 in (7.0 to 8.0 cm) of rain.[33] As the remnants of Harvey
approached Mexico, the Civil Protection Secretary of the state of Campeche issued a
blue alert, indicting minimal danger.[34] When Harvey redeveloped at 15:00 UTC on
August 23, the Government of Mexico issued a tropical storm watch in Tamaulipas
from Boca De Catan to the mouth of the Rio Grande.[35] The watch remained in effect
until 21:00 UTC on August 25, after it became evident that the storm no longer
posed a significant threat to that area.[36]

United States
FEMA worked with the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration
and Customs Enforcement to prepare for the storm and its aftermath. The agency
placed disaster response teams on standby at emergency posts in Austin, Texas, and
Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[37]

Video briefings by officials

File:8-25-17- White House Press Briefing.webm
Comments from the White House (begin at 25:50)

File:NWS Director Louis Uccellini on Hurricane Harvey.webm

Comments from National Weather Service director Louis Uccellini

File:FEMA Accessible Hurricane Harvey - Shelter in Place.webm

Shelter in place briefing by FEMA
File:Harvey Downgraded to Tropical Storm, 'Dramatic Flooding' a Concern.webm
Comments by the Governor of Texas
Texas

Members of the Texas National Guard, local police, and firefighters coordinating
relief efforts
Upon the NHC resuming advisories for Harvey at 15:00 UTC on August 23, a hurricane
watch was issued in Texas from Port Mansfield to San Luis Pass, while a tropical
storm watch was posted from Port Mansfield south to the mouth of the Rio Grande and
from San Luis Pass to High Island. Additionally, a storm surge watch became in
effect from Port Mansfield to High Island.[35] Additional watches and warnings were
posted in these areas at 09:00 UTC on August 24, with a hurricane warning from Port
Mansfield to Matagorda; a tropical storm warning from Matagorda to High Island; a
hurricane watch and tropical storm warning from Port Mansfield to the Rio Grande; a
storm surge warning from Port Mansfield to San Luis Pass; and a storm surge from
Port Mansfield to the Rio Grande.[38] The watches and warnings were adjusted
accordingly after Harvey moved inland and began weakening, with the warning
discontinued at 15:00 UTC on August 26.[39] By 09:00 UTC on the following day, only
a tropical storm warning and a storm surge warning remained in effect from Port
O'Connor to Sargent. However, watches and warnings were re-issued as Harvey began
to re-emerge into the Gulf of Mexico, and beginning at 15:00 UTC on August 28, a
tropical storm warning was in effect for the entire Gulf Coast of Texas from High
Island northward.[40]

Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency for 30 counties on August 23,
while mandatory evacuations were issued for Brazoria, Calhoun, Jackson, Refugio,
San Patricio, and Victoria counties, as well as parts of Matagorda County.[41] On
August 26, Governor Abbott added an additional 20 counties to the state of
emergency declaration.[42] Furthermore, the International Charter on Space and
Major Disasters was activated by the USGS on behalf of the Governor's Texas
Emergency Management Council, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management,
thus providing for humanitarian satellite coverage.[43]

Louisiana
In Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency for the
entire state. A mandatory evacuation was ordered in Cameron Parish for the cities
of Big Lake, Cameron, Creole, Grand Chenier, Hackberry, Holly Beach, and Johnson
Bayou. Additionally, a voluntary evacuation was ordered in Vermilion Parish for
low-lying areas south of State Highway 14. The Louisiana National Guard prepared
about 500,000 sandbags and emergency boats and high-water-rescue vehicles were
placed on standby should flooding occur. In New Orleans, there were concerns about
whether or not the city's drainage system could handle a heavy rainfall event, with
only 105 of the 120 water pumps being operational and some power turbines being out
of service.[44] The city's public schools, as well as six universities and a
medical school, closed on August 29.[45] As Harvey began re-emerging into the Gulf
of Mexico on August 28, the tropical storm warning in Texas from Mesquite Bay to
High Island was extended eastward into Louisiana to the community of Cameron at
12:00 UTC, while a tropical storm watch was issued from Cameron to Intracoastal
City.[40]

Effects in the Caribbean and Latin America

Winds left residents throughout Barbados without electricity, with a majority of
outages occurring in Christ Church, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, and Saint Michael
provinces. Flooding washed one house off its foundation, while water entered some
houses, forcing some people to evacuate. Bridges in Saint Andrew and Saint Joseph
were damaged. Additionally, a fuel depot in Speightstown was flooded. Winds
deroofed a church.[46] In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, nine homes were flooded
and four others experienced wind damage. Also, a tree fell on a school, damaging
the building. Blocked drains in Port Elizabeth resulted in more than 15 businesses
being flooded. A total of 15 people were housed in shelters after the storm.[1]

Strong winds and heavy rainfall also affected Suriname and Guyana. In the former,
high winds in the capital city of Paramaribo caused roof damage to the Presidential
Palace and two homes, while the Torarica Hotel and Casino suffered structural
impact. Additionally, four dwellings were deroofed in Commewijne and three others
lost their roofs in Wanica; in the latter, the Ministry of Social Affairs building
was damaged by falling trees. In Guyana, the village of Jawalla bore the brunt of
the storm. Four homes were demolished, while five other residences and two shops
were damaged. Several public buildings were also damaged, including the community
center, the village council buildings, the nursery, and public schools. A 29-year-
old woman died after her house collapsed on her.[1]

Effects in the United States

Texas

Flooding in Texas on August 31

Throughout Texas, more than 300,000 people were left without electricity and
billions of dollars of property damage was sustained.[42] At least 49 people were
killed, though that number was expected to rise.[2] By August 29, approximately
13,000 people had been rescued across the state while an estimated 30,000 were
displaced.[47] The refinery industry capacity was reduced, and oil and gas
production was affected in the Gulf of Mexico and inland Texas.[48] On Monday,
various news outlets announced the closure of oil refineries ahead of Hurricane
Harvey, creating an artificial fuel shortage. Panicked, motorists waited in long
lines. Consequently, gas stations through the state were forced to close due to the
rush.[49]

More than 48,700 homes were affected by Harvey throughout the state, including over
1,000 that were completely destroyed and more than 17,000 that sustained major
damage; approximately 32,000 sustained minor damage. Nearly 700 businesses were
damaged as well.[50] Texas Department of Public Safety stated more than 185,000
homes were damaged and 9,000 destroyed.[51]

Landfall area
File:Coast Guard responds after Hurricane Harvey (546085).webm
Coast Guard video during an overflight from Port Aransas to Port O'Connor, Texas,
Aug. 26, 2017
Making landfall as a Category 4, Harvey inflicted tremendous damage across Aransas
County.[52] Wind gusts were observed up to 132 mph (212 km/h) near Port Aransas.
[53] In Rockport, entire blocks were leveled by the hurricane's winds. The city's
courthouse was severely damaged when a cargo trailer was hurled into it, coming to
a stop halfway through the structure. The gymnasium of the Rockport-Fulton High
School lost multiple walls while the school itself suffered some damage.[52] A
Fairfield Inn in the city was severely damaged.[54] One person died in a house fire
in the city, unable to be rescued due to the extreme weather conditions.[55] As of
August 28, an estimated 3040 people remain unaccounted for across Aransas County,
including 9 in Rockport. Nearly every structure in Port Aransas suffered damage.
[52] By the afternoon of August 26, more than 20 in (51 cm) of rain had fallen in
the Corpus Christi metropolitan area.[42] All of Victoria was left without water
and most had no power.[52]

Houston metropolitan area flooding

File:We're continuing to tally rainfall accumulations in the storm's wake, as
-Har....webm
Rainfall accumulation from August 23 through August 29. Animation by NASA
File:Hurricane Harvey Houston Halftime.webm
Drone photography of flooding in Houston
Many locations in the Houston metropolitan area observed at least 30 in (76 cm) of
precipitation,[56] with a maximum of 51.88 in (131.8 cm) in Cedar Bayou.[57] This
makes Harvey the wettest tropical cyclone on record for Texas, and the contiguous
United States,[58] surpassing the previous rainfall record held by Tropical Storm
Amelia.[59] The local National Weather Service office in Houston observed all-time
record daily rainfall accumulations on both August 26 and 27, measured at 14.4 in
(37 cm) and 16.08 in (40.8 cm) respectively.[60] The 39.11 in (99.3 cm) of rain in
August made the month the wettest ever recorded in Houston since record keeping
began in 1892, more than doubling the previous record of 19.21 in (48.8 cm) in June
2001.[61]

During the storm, more than 800 Houston area flights were canceled, including 704
at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and 123 at William P. Hobby Airport. Both
airports eventually closed.[62] Several tornadoes were spawned in the area, one of
which damaged or destroyed the roofs of dozens of homes in Sienna Plantation.[42]
As of August 29, 14 fatalities have been confirmed from flooding in the Houston
area, including 6 from the same family who died when their van was swept off a
flooded bridge.[63] A police officer drowned while trying to escape rising waters.
[64]

Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard move through flooded Houston streets as
floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey continue to rise.
An estimated 2530 percent of Harris Countyroughly 444 mi2 (1,150 km2) of landwas
submerged.[47]

File:Hurricane Harvey Search and Rescue Mission (546955).webm

U.S. Navy Sailors conduct a search and rescue mission above a residence in
Beaumont, Texas
Late on August 27, a mandatory evacuation was issued for all of Bay City as model
projections indicated the downtown area would be inundated by 10 ft (3.0 m) of
water. Flooding was anticipated to cut off access to the city around 1:00 p.m. CDT
on August 28.[65] Evacuations took place in Conroe on August 28 following release
of water from the Lake Conroe dam.[66] On the morning on August 29, a levee
collapsed along Columbia Lakes in Brazoria County, prompting officials to urgently
request everyone in the area evacuate.[67]

On August 28, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began controlled water releases from
Addicks and Barker Reservoirs in the Buffalo Bayou watershed in an attempt to
manage flood levels in the immediate area. According to the local Corps commander,
"Its going to be better to release the water through the gates directly into
Buffalo Bayou as opposed to letting it go around the end and through additional
neighborhoods and ultimately into the bayou." At the time the releases started, the
reservoirs had been rising at more than 6 inches (15 cm) per hour.[68] Many people
began evacuating the area, fearing a levee breach.[69] Despite attempts to
alleviate the water rise, the Addicks Reservoir reached capacity on the morning of
August 29 and began spilling out.[70] The NASA Johnson Space Center has been closed
to employees and visitors due to the flooding until September 5. Only the critical
mission control staff remain and reside in the control rooms to monitor procedures
of the International Space Station.[71]

Deep East Texas and BeaumontPort Arthur area

Anyone who chooses to not [evacuate] cannot expect to be rescued and should
write their social security numbers in permanent marker on their arm so their
bodies can be identified. The loss of life and property is certain. GET OUT OR DIE!

Jacques Blanchette, Tyler County Emergency Management[72]
The BeaumontPort Arthur metropolitan area also experienced torrential
precipitation, including 32.55 in (82.7 cm) of rainfall in Beaumont.[56] Rising
waters of the Neches River caused the city to lose service from its main pump
station, as well as its secondary water source in Hardin County, cutting water
supply to the city for an unknown amount of time.[73] Flooding to the north and
east of the Houston area resulted in mandatory evacuations for portions of Liberty,
Jefferson, and Tyler counties, while Jasper and Newton counties were under a
voluntary evacuation.[74] One death occurred in Beaumont when a woman exited her
disabled vehicle, but was swept away.[75] In Port Arthur, the mayor stated that the
entire city was submerged by water. Hundreds of displaced residents went to the
Robert A. "Bob" Bowers Civic Center for shelter, but they were evacuated again
after the building began to flood. Water entered at least several hundreds of homes
in Jefferson County.[76]

Louisiana
Heavy rainfall extended eastward into Louisiana, with the state recording up to
14.88 in (37.8 cm) of precipitation near the town of Iowa.[56] In Lake Charles,
water reached 4 ft (1.2 m) in height, with homes flooded and hundreds of people
forced to evacuate in one neighborhood alone. Throughout the state, about 500
people were rescued by August 28, while 269 people went to a shelter in southwest
Louisiana, about 200 of whom were rescued from their homes.[77] An EF2 tornado near
Evangeline damaged four homes, one of which was destroyed. The tornado also damaged
fences, a motorcycle, a pickup truck, and toppled three electrical poles.[78]

Hurricane Harvey making first landfall in West Cameron, Louisiana

Elsewhere
In Alabama, a tornado in the vicinity of Reform damaged two homes and destroyed a
barn along State Route 17, while four people were hospitalized for their injuries.
A possible tornado in Lamar County near Kennedy caused damage to trees and roofs.
[79] In Tennessee, more than 19,000 people lost electricity in Memphis.[80] Low-
lying streets in the area were inundated with water. One indirect death occurred in
Memphis due to a weather-related head-on collision of a car and a tractor trailer
on Interstate 40.[81] Heavy rainfall in Nashville inundated a number of roads and
flooded an apartment complex, resulting in the evacuation of 13 people. Overall,
about 50 people in the city evacuated from flooded areas.[82]

Energy production
See also: 2017 Arkema plant explosion
Energy production in the Gulf of Mexico declined in the wake of Harvey by
approximately 21% 378,633 barrels per day of the 1.75 million barrels of oil
produced each day. Natural gas production declined by about 25.71% 827.89 million
metric standard cubic meters per day (MMSCFD). The Eagle Ford Rock Formation (shale
oil and gas) in southern Texas reduced production by 300,000 to 500,000 bpd,
according to the Texas Railroad Commission. Many energy-related ports and terminals
are closed, delaying about fourteen crude oil tankers. About 2.25 million bpd of
refining capacity was offline for several days; that is about 12% of total US
capacity, with refineries affected at Corpus Christi, and later Port Arthur and
Beaumont, and Lake Charles, Louisiana. The price of Brent crude versus West Texas
Intermediate crude oil achieved a split of U.S.?$5.[83]

Two ExxonMobil refineries had to be shut down following related storm damage and
releases of hazardous pollutants.[84] Two oil storage tanks owned by Burlington
Resources Oil and Gas collectively spilled 30,000 gallons of crude in DeWitt
County. An additional 8,500 gallons of wastewater was spilled in the incidents.[85]

On August 30, the CEO of Arkema warned one of its chemical plants in Crosby, Texas,
could explode or be subject to intense fire due to the loss of "critical
refrigeration" of materials.[86] All workers at the facility and residents within
1.5 mi (2.4 km) were evacuated. Eight of the plant's nine refrigeration units
failed without power, enabling the stored chemicals to decompose and become
combustible. Two explosions occurred around 2:00 a.m. on August 31; 21 emergency
personnel were briefly hospitalized.[87]

Due to the shutdown in refineries, gas prices did see an increase nationwide.[88]
However, the increase was not as extensive as Hurricane Katrina due to the
development of more fuel-efficient vehicles as well as fracking technology having
been refined since Katrina to allow oil drilling in shale areas such as the
Marcellus Formation.[89] Additionally, Harvey's impact coincided with Labor Day
Weekend, which sees a traditional increase in gas prices due to the heavy travel
for that weekend.[90] Nonetheless, the spike brought the highest gas prices in two
years.[89]

Athletics
The flooding in Houston from the storm required the traditional Governor's Cup
National Football League preseason game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston
Texans scheduled for August 31 to be moved from NRG Stadium in Houston to AT&T
Stadium in Arlington, Texas.[91] The game was later cancelled to allow the Houston
Texans players to return to Houston after the storm.[92] In addition, the Houston
Astros were forced to move their August 2931 series with the Texas Rangers from
Minute Maid Park in Houston to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.[93] The
annual Texas Kickoff game that was to feature BYU and LSU to kick off the 2017
college football season was moved to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans,
Louisiana.[94] The NCAA FBS football game between Houston and UTSA was postponed
due to the aftermath of the storm. It was originally scheduled for September 2 at
the Alamodome in San Antonio and is expected to be rescheduled.[95]

The Houston Dynamo rescheduled a planned Major League Soccer match against Sporting
Kansas City on August 26 to October 11. The Houston Dash of the National Women's
Soccer League rescheduled their August 27 match against the North Carolina Courage
to a date that has not been announced.[96] Both teams moved their training camps to
Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (near Dallas) while preparing for their next
matches; the Dash's match the following week, against the Seattle Reign, will be
played in Frisco, with all proceeds from ticket sales benefiting an American Red
Cross relief fund for hurricane victims.[97] The Dynamo and Major League Soccer
also donated a combined $1 million into the hurricane relief fund, while also
opening BBVA Compass Stadium to accept donated supplies for processing and
distribution.[98][99]

Athletic events were rescheduled as far away as Kentucky, where the storm's
remnants were expected to cause heavy rains on September 1, interfering with Friday
night high school football. More than 50 high schools in the state moved games that
had been scheduled for Friday to either Thursday or Saturday.[100]

Aftermath

This article documents a current storm. Information may change rapidly as the event
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File:President Trump Participates in a Tour of the Emergency Operations Center.webm
President Trump participating in a tour of the Emergency Operations Center, video
from the White House

Damage by Harvey to a marina in Rockport, Texas, on August 28, 2017

Texas
MENU0:00
Interview with Sylvester Turner and Al Sharpton on September 1st 2017 - from MSNBC
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner imposed a mandatory curfew on August 29 from 12 a.m.
to 5 a.m. local time until further notice. He cited looting as the primary reason
for the curfew.[101] On August 29, President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and
U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz toured damage in the Corpus Christi
metropolitan area.[102] President Trump made a formal request for $5.95 billion in
federal funding on August 31 for affected areas, the vast majority of which would
go to FEMA.[103]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed the state's entire National Guard for search
and rescue, recovery, and clean up operations due to the devastating damage caused
by the storm and resulting floods.[104][105] Other states' National Guard's have
offered assistance, with several having already been sent.[106][107] Meanwhile, the
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement assigned approximately 150
employees from around the country to assist with disaster relief efforts, while
stating that no immigration enforcement operations would be conducted.[50]

Approximately 32,000 people were displaced in shelters across the state by August
31. The George R. Brown Convention Center, the state's largest shelter, reached
capacity with 8,000 evacuees. The NRG Center opened as a large public shelter
accordingly. More than 210,000 people registered with FEMA for disaster assistance.
[108]

The Cajun Navy, an informal organization of volunteers with boats from Louisiana,
deployed to Texas to assist in high-water rescues.[109]

The Houston Independent School District announced that all students on any of the
district's campuses would be eligible for free lunch throughout the 201718 school
year. The Federal Department of Education eased financial aid rules and procedures
for those affected by Harvey, giving schools the ability to waive paperwork
requirements; loan borrowers were given more flexibility in managing their loan
payments.[50] A 36-year-old inmate sentenced to death for a 2003 murder was granted
a temporary reprieve as a result of Harvey, as his legal team was based in Harris
County, an area heavily affected by the hurricane.[50]

By August 30, corporations across the nation collectively donated more than $72
million to relief efforts, with 42 companies donating at least $1 million.[110]
Professional athletic teams, their players, and managers provided large donations
to assist victims of the storm. The Houston Astros pledged $4 million to relief
along with all proceeds from their home game raffles. Houston Rockets owner Leslie
Alexander also donated $4 million to the cause.[111] A fundraiser established by
Houston Texans defensive lineman J. J. Watt exceeded $15 million.[112] The Texas
Rangers and Tennessee Titans both provided $1 million, while the New England
Patriots pledged to match up to $1 million in donations to the Red Cross.[113]
Multiple Hollywood celebrities also pitched in, collectively donating more than $10
million, with Sandra Bullock providing the largest single donation of $1 million.
[114] Leonardo DiCaprio provided $1 million to the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund
through his foundation.[115] Rachael Ray provided donations totaling $1 million to
animal shelters across the Houston area.[116]

Economic loss estimates

Based on current damage estimates made by multiple agencies, Hurricane Harvey is
likely to be at least the second-most costly natural disaster in U.S. history,
behind only Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[4][117] Moody's Analytics has estimated the
total economic cost of the storm at between at $81 billion to $108 billion or more;
most of the economic losses are damage to homes and commercial property.[4] USA
Today reported an AccuWeather estimate of $190 billion, released August 31.[5] On
September 3, Texas state governor Greg Abbott estimated that damages will be
between $150 billion and $180 billion, surpassing the $120 billion that it took to
rebuild New Orleans after Katrina.[118][119] According to weather analytics firm
Planalytics, lost revenue to Houston area retailers and restaurants alone will be
approximately $1 billion. The Houston area controls 4% of the spending power in the
United States.[120]

A significant portion of the storm's damages may be uninsured losses. Regular

homeowner insurance policies generally exclude coverage for flooding, as the
National Flood Insurance Program underwrites most flood insurance policies in the
US.[121][122] Although the purchase of flood insurance is obligatory for federally
guaranteed mortgages for homes within the 100-year flood plain, enforcement of the
requirement is difficult and many homes, even within the 100-year flood plain, lack
flood insurance.[121] In Harris County, Texaswhich includes the city of
Houstononly 15% of homes have flood insurance policies issued by the NFIP.
Participation in the NFIP is higher, but still low, in neighboring Galveston (41%),
Brazoria (26%), and Chambers Counties (21%).