Hurricane Harvey barreled into the southern coast of Texas on Friday night as a Category 4 storm.
The storm had initially been given a Category 1 rating on Thursday but by Friday afternoon had been upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane. It is the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in Texas in the past half-century. After it moved inland, Harvey was downgraded to a tropical storm.
The Weather Channel has reported some areas may receive 50 inches of rainfall once the storm subsides later in the week.
Total damage is still unknown because emergency personnel have been unable to reach the hardest-hit areas. Multiple news outlets have reported at least two deaths and more than a dozen injuries from the storm so far, but officials have yet to confirm deaths due to an inability to traverse the flood waters. Law enforcement and emergency management urged people not to drive on roadways.
Some officials posted on Twitter that flooding that wasn't life-threatening did not warrant citizens leaving their homes.
Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo posted on Twitter urging those attempting to flee rising waters through their attics to bring some form of tool in case they need to break through their own roofs.
Jesse Naranjo
