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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 28 august 2017

Harvey: Devastating Harvey evoking

Rescuers pluck hundreds from floods painful memories of Katrina

By JULIE WATSON of rain in some spots, the
Continued from front Emergency Management longings upstairs, then Associated Press
Agency, Brock Long, pre- grabbed her grandchil- highest ever recorded in
Judging from federal disas- dicted that the aftermath dren. As people waded in Texas. “The breadth and
ter declarations, the storm of the storm would require “When they told us the cur- chest-high floodwaters in intensity of this rainfall is
has so far affected about a FEMA’s involvement for rent was getting high, we the United States’ fourth- beyond anything expe-
quarter of the Texas popu- years. had to bust a window to largest city, Houston’s rienced before and is
lation, or 6.8 million people “This disaster’s going to be get out,” Leho said. mayor announced Sun- resulting in catastrophic
in 18 counties. a landmark event,” Long Some people used inflat- day that the main con- flooding,” the National
As the water rose, the Na- said. able beach toys, rubber vention center would Weather Service said in a
tional Weather Service Rescuers had to give top rafts and even air mattress- be opening as a shelter, statement.
offered another ominous priority to life-and-death es to get through the water evoking memories of In New Orleans, almost 80
forecast: Before the storm situations, leaving many af- to safety. Others waded Hurricane Katrina, when percent of residents were
that arrived Friday as a Cat- fected families to fend for while carrying trash bags breached levees in New evacuated days ahead
egory 4 hurricane is gone, themselves. stuffed with their belong- Orleans stranded tens of Katrina’s arrival. In con-
of thousands of people trast, Houston’s Mayor
in squalid conditions at Sylvester Turner advised
the football stadium and people to stay in their
convention center. homes, saying it was not
Elected officials have feasible to evacuate the
vowed to heed the les- entire city.
sons from Katrina in 2005, Rescue workers were so
when about 30,000 evac- overwhelmed with calls
uees spent days packed for help Sunday that ini-
inside the sweltering Su- tially they were able to
perdome without elec- respond only to life-and-
tricity or running water. death situations.
The stadium, whose roof Houston authorities urged
peeled off in the howl- people to escape to the
ing wind, allowing rain to roofs of their homes to
pour in, became known avoid becoming trapped
as a squalid shelter of last in attics, which caused
resort. more than a dozen
The fiasco exposed how deaths in Katrina’s af-
the city and country did termath. Residents were
not prepare adequately asked to wave sheets or
for the storm. towels to draw attention
Sen. Chuck Grassley of to their location as flood-
Iowa told President Don- waters reached second-
ald Trump on Twitter to story levels — echoing im-
Houston Police SWAT officer Daryl Hudeck carries Catherine Pham and her 13-month-old son “keep on top of hurri- ages from New Orleans.
Aiden after rescuing them from their home surrounded by floodwaters from Tropical Storm
Harvey Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Houston. The remnants of Hurricane Harvey sent devastating cane Harvey” and not The number of shelters in
floods pouring into Houston Sunday as rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or repeat the mistakes that Houston was expected
higher ground. President George W. Bush to dramatically increase,
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip) made with Katrina. Bush but one of the largest
was heavily criticized for would be the George R.
some parts of Houston and Tom Bartlett and Steven ings and small animals in a slow federal govern- Brown Convention Cen-
its suburbs could get as Craig pulled a rowboat on picnic coolers. ment response to the ter. Hundreds were arriv-
much as 50 inches (1.3 me- a rope through chest-deep Houston Mayor Sylvester storm, which left more ing Sunday as authorities
ters) of rain. That would be water for a mile to rescue Turner said authorities had than 1,800 people dead scrambled to ready the
the highest amount ever Bartlett’s mother from her received more than 2,000 and caused $151 billion building with 1.8 million
recorded in Texas. home in west Houston. It calls for help, with more dollars in damage. (0.17 million sq. meters) of
Some areas have already took them 45 minutes to coming in. He urged drivers “Got your message loud space. Officials said the
received about half that reach the house. Inside, to stay off flooded roads to and clear. We have fan- convention center will
amount. Since Thursday, the water reached half- avoid adding to the num- tastic people on the need help from restau-
South Houston recorded way up the walls. ber of those stranded. ground, got there long rants to feed its growing
nearly 25 inches (63 centi- Marie Bartlett, 88, waited in “I don’t need to tell any- before #Harvey. So far, population.
meters), and the suburbs of her bedroom upstairs. one this is a very, very se- so good!” Trump tweeted It and the city’s Astro-
Santa Fe and Dayton got “When I was younger, I rious and unprecedented back. Later, the White dome in 2005 received
27 inches (69 centimeters). used to wish I had a daugh- storm,” Turner told a news House announced Trump thousands of Katrina
“The breadth and inten- ter, but I have the best son conference. “We have would go to Texas on evacuees fleeing the hor-
sity of this rainfall is beyond in the world,” she said. several hundred structural Tuesday. rific conditions of New Or-
anything experienced be- “In my 40 years here, I’ve flooding reports. We ex- There is no doubt the leans’ shelters in 2005.
fore,” the National Weath- never seen the water this pect that number to rise challenge will be huge for Houston was applauded
er Service said in a state- high.” The city’s main con- pretty dramatically.” Houston, a city of 2.3 mil- then for showing how
ment. vention center was quickly The deteriorating situation lion residents. shelters should be run.
Average rainfall totals will opened as a shelter. was bound to provoke Forecasters said Sunday Asked if this storm could
end up around 40 inches (1 Gillis Leho arrived there questions about the con- that the remnants of Hur- become Houston’s Hurri-
meter) for Houston, weath- soaking wet. She said she flicting advice given by ricane Harvey would cane Katrina, Texas Gov.
er service meteorologist awoke Sunday to find her the governor and Houston dump as much as 50 Greg Abbott ducked the
Patrick Burke said. downstairs flooded. She leaders before the hurri- inches (127 centimeters) question.q
The director of the Federal tried to move some be- cane. q