A weary Houston likely to endure catastrophic flooding through Wednesday

Story by Houston Chronicle Staff

2:09 p.m.: City Council to join Harvey victims at GRB for regular meeting

Houston City Hall is without power and its underground parking is flooded, so City Council will join thousands of displaced flood victims at the George R. Brown Convention Center for its weekly Wednesday morning meeting.



The council has delayed its usual Tuesday afternoon session during which Mayor Sylvester Turner and the 16 council members hear from public speakers, and has added Harvey-related emergency items to the agenda.

Our Mike Morris has the full story here: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/City-Council-to-meet-in-emergency-session-12158768.php?cmpid=twitter-desktop



2:03 p.m. City officials update from George R. Brown Convention Center

Houston City Controller Chris B. Brown said Houston's City Council will announce a $20 million relief fund at tomorrow's meeting.

Tom McCasland, who directs Houston's housing and community development program, said the shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center needs:

Toilettries
Medical supplies
Wheelchairs
Pillows
Packaged nonperishable food, or food prepared by a commercial kitchen

The city is not taking any more clothing donations, he said. Deliver donations to loading dock B at the back of the center.

McCasland said the shelter's doors remain open, even for people with pets and those with urgent medical needs.

Officials said there would be an additional shelter opening nearby sometime this afternoon.



1:57 p.m.: 200 homes take on water from Addicks and Barker reservoirs

Tuesday morning, more water along the edges of the Addicks Reservoir overflowed, putting seven subdivisions downstream of the dam at risk of flooding.

The inundated dams come after 34 inches of rain fell on watersheds upstream of both reservoirs, half of the rainfall expected over the course of a year, said Jeff Lindner of the Harris County Flood Control District.

Both reservoirs - which are designed to be dry - smashed on Tuesday record water levels from April of 2016. Tuesday morning, Addicks was at 108 feet. Barker was at 100 feet.

Our Margaret Kadifa and John Harden have the story here: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/Addicks-Reservoir-overflows-over-spillway-12144865.php

1:47 p.m.: Man drowns near Grand Parkway, in Spring

A man died after walking on Monday into flood waters near Spring Park Ridge and the Grand Parkway, in Spring, according to the South Montgomery County Fire Department.

Passersby spotted the man enter the water at about 11:30 p.m., but were unable to help him before he went under.

The South Montgomery County Fire Department, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable's Office and U.S. Coast Guard all tried, and failed, to rescue the man.

The man's identity is unknown. He is believed to have been between 60 and 70 years old, according to the South Montgomery County Fire Department.



1:37 p.m.: Trump calls Texas 'special'

Our Kevin Diaz has a running feed of President Donald Trump's trip to Texas. Follow along here: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/article/Running-Chronicle-of-President-Trump-s-trip-to-12131966.php?cmpid=premartcl

Trump noted he didn't want to congratulate anyone yet, but expressed hope that the response to Harvey would be seen as a textbook case.

"We want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years, in ten years from now as, this is the way to do it. This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this and i just want to say that working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us.

1:32 p.m.: Turner calls out "talking heads" questioning his decision not to evacuate

"Come join us and rescue the people who need to be rescued," Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference Tuesday morning. "This is the City of Houston. We are the fourth largest city. Can you imagine a city like LA moving in two days? We can't."

He said the city requested from FEMA additional cots and supplies to serve 10,000 more people.

Several thousand people came into the George R. Brown Convention Center after 9 p.m. Monday. He pledged to not turn people away.

Safety is a top priority, he said. "We're not going to tolerate any activity that's criminal in nature or that's disruptive."

Our Mike Morris has a full story here: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Evacuation-in-face-of-Harvey-not-a-simple-call-12102890.php&cmpid=twitter-premium?utm_content=buffer40400&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer&cmpid=premartcl

12:58 a.m. (times eastern): Water from Lake Forest Utility District contaminated

The Lake Forest Utility District has alerted customers their water is no longer safe to drink.

The contaminated water comes after pressure loss in the district's distribution system, caused by flooding, according to a news release from the Harris County Public Health department.

Customers should boil their water before using it for drinking, cooking or making ice, according to the release.

Anyone with questions can contact: 832-467-1599 or 1-866-467-1599.

12:48 p.m.: UH, TSU students wait for rain to pass

On Tuesday morning, water pooled in scattered places around UH and TSU's campuses, with a few branches down around the grounds. Few students were on campus. They huddled under umbrellas as they walked from building to building. Several facilities were locked, and chairs and other outdoor equipment were tucked inside buildings.

The U.S. Department of Education urged student loan services to be flexible in managing loan payments and activated an emergency response contact center on Monday for those who need information or relief.

12:45 p.m.: Donald Trump touches down in Corpus Christi

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were greeted by Gov. Greg Abbott off of Air Force One in Corpus Christi.

The motorcade is headed to a fire station where Trump will meet local officials.

12:37 p.m.: At least six dead in Galveston County from flooding

At least six people died in Galveston County because of flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey, officials said Tuesday.

"There's more deaths than that," said Chief Investigator John Florence with the Galveston County Medical Examiner. "But we don't know if they're storm-related."

On Saturday, an elderly woman died in her Santa Fe home after her oxygen tank failed when the electricity went out. Crews recovered her body Sunday morning.

Florence did not immediately know how the other storm victims died because he did not have access Tuesday to his office records.

Most of the other five deaths were Sunday and Monday in Dickinson and League City.

One man was found dead Sunday in a La Marque Walmart parking lot, but it's not clear how he died or if it was storm-related.

12:30 p.m.: One trillion gallons of rainfall falls on Harris County

Enough water has fallen on Harris County over the past four days to power Niagra Fall for over two weeks, according to a tweet from Jeff Lindner, meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District.



12:27: p.m. Turner calls out "talking heads" questioning his decision not to evacuate

"Come join us and rescue the people who need to be rescued," Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference Tuesday morning. "This is the City of Houston. We are the fourth largest city. Can you imagine a city like LA moving in two days? We can't."

He said the city requested from FEMA additional cots and supplies.

12:20 p.m.: First Harris County flood death confirmed

A man who drowned in his South Houston workplace is the first Harvey-related death confirmed by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Alexander Kwoksum Sung, 64, died in the 900 block of College Avenue at a clock repair and restoration business around 2:40 p.m. Sunday. He was found in 1.5 feet of "debris," according to the report released Monday evening.

There are additional decedents at the medical examiner's office who are presumed, but not confirmed, storm fatalities.

12:20 p.m.: No immigration enforcement at shelters or food banks

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced they will not be enforcing immigration laws at shelters or food banks in the Houston area.

"Routine non-criminal immigration enforcement operations will not be conducted at evacuation sites, or assistance centers such as shelters or food banks," CPB and ICE said in a joint statement.

The statement came after rumors circulated that people who are not residing in the United States legally could not go to shelters because they would reported to officials.

The Red Cross said it would not be asking people to show any identification to stay in their shelters, according to the statement.

People who are detained in the Port Isabel Detention Center are being transferred to other facilities for their safety, the statement added.

12 p.m.: Enough food at George R. Brown for evacuees, not enough cots

A.J. Mistretta, a spokesman for Houston First, said there is enough food for the more than 9,000 evacuees being housed at the George R. Brown Convention Center, but not enough cots.

He said additional police officers were brought in last night.

"Folks are safe," Mistretta said. "It is a safe facility."

Mistretta said no one is being turned away, but buses coming in with evacuees are being sent to other shelters.

He said the Mayor is expected to have an update on an additional shelter soon.

11:27 a.m. HPD officer drowns in patrol car in floodwaters

A Houston police officer drowned in his patrol car in Harvey floodwaters, according to three department officials.

The officer, an HPD veteran who has been with the department for more than 30 years, was in his patrol car driving to work downtown Sunday morning when he got trapped in high water at Interstate 45 and the Hardy Toll Road.

Search and rescue crews are currently recovering his body. The department has not yet formally notified the officer's family.

"He was trying different routes, and took a wrong turn," one high-ranking official said, asking not to be identified.

After getting trapped in high water, the officer tried to get out but was unable to.



11 a.m.: Tropical Storm Harvey to make second landfall in Louisiana

Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to make its second landfall in Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It is expected to reach the Texas-Louisiana border by Wednesday afternoon.

Harvey will remain a tropical storm through early Thursday.

Tuesday morning, it was 114 miles from Houston, moving at 5 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Maximum sustained winds are 145 mph.

11 a.m.: Lakewood Church open

The Lakewood Church is open for people who need shelter, according to a tweet from the church.

Lakewood will also be coordinating with Houston as a collection site for supplies. The church tweeted Tuesday morning it is accepting donations including baby food and baby formula.



11 a.m.: HEB stores to be open Tuesday until 3 p.m.

Sixty-three southeast Texas HEB stores will be open until 3 p.m. Tuesday. Houston area locations include the Alabama and Dunlavy, Buffalo Speedway, Wharton, San Felipe and Spring Cypress locations.

10:50 a.m.: Levee at Columbia Lakes in Brazoria County breached

The levee at Columbia Lakes in Brazoria County was breached Tuesday morning.

"Get out now," county officials said in a twitter message.

Residents are being told evacuate.

The county, south of Houston, is expected to be hit with even more flooding atop the already record-high water levels.

"That area is under mandatory evacuation," said Sharon Trower, spokeswoman for Brazoria County. "We have some residents there who didn't want to leave. We have first responders there getting them out now."

10:15 a.m.: U.S. Department of Labor approves $10 million grant for Harvey recovery efforts

The U.S. Department of Labor approved a $10 million National Dislocated Worker Grant to help with cleanup and recovery efforts in Texas.

The grant is being awarded to the Texas Workforce Commission, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Grant money will be available to counties impacted by the hurricane and subsequent heavy rainfall and flooding, as a supplement to state and local response and recovery efforts.

10 a.m.: Rainfall forecast low in the Houston area as Harvey moves east

Rainfall totals show Tropical Storm Harvey is winding down as the storm moves toward the Texas-Louisiana border, but Houstonians still aren't in the clear, according to the National Weather Service.

Through Thursday morning, less than 1.5-inches of rain is expected to hit Fort Bend, Brazoria, Austin, Waller, eastern Montgomery and eastern Harris counties.

Up to 3 inches could fall on eastern Harris, eastern Galveston and eastern Montgomery counties by Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Harder hit in the coming days will be counties further east, including those along the Texas-Louisiana border. Jefferson, Chambers, Orange, Hardin could be inundated with up to 15 more inches by Thursday morning.



9:45 a.m.: One-third of Friendswood homes flooded

Friendswood officials estimate that as many as 3,000 homes have been flooded by Harvey rains in the city, about one-third of the total homes.

The city is still conducting emergency operations, with multiple road closures and no access to area hospitals for ambulances.

The creeks have overflowed, leaving crossings impassable, and travel from one side of the city to the other is impossible without a boat.

Officials said about 1,000 homes are without power.
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Read more updates: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/Houston-hunkers-to-Harvey-braces-for-long-storm-12003388.php