HOUSTON -- Hurricane Harvey settled over southern Texas on Saturday, causing widespread destruction and dumping rain that will drench the southern part of the state for days. 
 
 The storm made landfall late Friday night as a Category 4 storm, with sustained winds of 130 mph that whipped coastal communities throughout the night. Winds slowed throughout the day Saturday as Harvey lost strength, becoming a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon. 
 
 But the relenting winds are little relief for residents stuck in the storm's path. Harvey's movement slowed to a crawl, and the system will continue to dump up to 40 inches of rain in some places. Officials warned of "torrential rains" that will cause "catastrophic damage" as the storm continues to pull moisture off warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 The storm was the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the continental United States in over a decade, and the first to make landfall in Texas since 1961. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Harvey is "probably the biggest storm in [Texas] history." 
 
 Follow along below for live updates on the storm. All times are Eastern unless otherwise noted. 
 
 1:50 a.m.: Fatality is confirmed from flooding in Houston 
 
 A motorist died Saturday after being stranded in the floodwaters from Harvey, County Judge Ed Emmett told CBS affiliate KHOU. 
 
 KHOU reports the woman tried to get out of her car but didn't make it. A neighbor found her body. 
 
 NICK OXFORD / REUTERS 
 
 Several major Houston roadways are underwater. 
 
 Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said the streets are "treacherous." 
 
 11:35 p.m.: Flash flood emergency declared in Houston's Harris County 
 
 A flash flood emergency is in effect for Harris County, meaning life-threatening flooding is possible, CBS affiliate KHOU reports. 
 
 "We're seeing just incredible rainfall rights right now in the heart of Houston," said Jeff Lindner with the Harris County Flood Control District. 
 
 The Harris County Sheriff's office tweeted that a man had been rescued from his car in three feet of rushing water. 
 
 HCSO deputies rescued one male driver in 3 feet of rushing water in west Harris County — Saums Rd. & Park View Dr. pic.twitter.com/i51U6jcT42 — HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) August 27, 2017 
 
 Most areas have seen more than 2 inches in the last hour, according to KHOU. 
 
 They've had more than 4 inches in the last hour in the Meyerland area and there is a threat of water in homes there, Lindner said. 
 
 The Houston Office of Emergency Management tweeted that the Red Cross shelter is closing due to high water. The METRO Houston has suspended all bus and rail service. 
 
 The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office is also reporting tornado sightings in Stafford, Missouri City and near US 90 and the Texas Parkway. 
 
 Tornados have already caused damage in Cypress, Sienna Plantation, Katy, Richmond and Atascocita. 
 
 9:40 p.m.: Coast Guard launches helicopter rescue 
 
 The Coast Guard said Saturday that it was responding to a call of seven distressed people in Aransas Pass, Texas. 
 
 The Coast Guard said it received the call at about 7 p.m. central time of seven people, one of which is reportedly on oxygen and had run out, in need of assistance. 
 
 The Coast Guard said its Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews rescued in total 20 people and a dog after they received reports from watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Saturday morning and afternoon. 
 
 7:50 p.m.: "Biggest concern" is the 20-30 inches of rain, Texas Gov. says 
 
 More than a foot-and-a-half of rain fell in just 24 hours in Victoria, Texas -- and by the time the storm is over, the city could get in only days the amount of rain it sees in one year, CBS News' Manuel Bojorquez reports. 
 
 "Our biggest concern is the possibility of between 20 and 30 inches of rain in areas ranging from Corpus Christi over to Houston," said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. "Because of the flooding, one of the top focal points that we are concerned about is ongoing rescue and recovery." 
 
 Angela and Mario Manzano are checking on the home they recently purchased. 
 
 "It's devastating because like I said, we're barely purchasing the home, we're still paying it off, to lose it now, it's going to be hard," Angela said. 
 
 Their home is in a low-lying area prone to flooding. 
 
 "If it was just the two of us, it would be different, but having our kids, that why we took, we just took the most important things -- our important documents and pictures that can't be replaced and that stuff," Angela said. 
 
 7:30 p.m.: Inside Rockport, the city in the eye of Harvey 
 
 
 
 Ferocious winds and floodwater have left this quaint city on the gulf a disaster zone, CBS News' David Begnaud reports. Parts of the high school were torn to shreds. Harvey showed no mercy on the local First Baptist church. Some homes have collapsed into the water. 
 
 "We went upstairs and looked out the window and down the road here it was a sheer wall of water, like 100 mph it was crazy," said Tim Freiburger. His garage was lifted up and jammed against the side of the house. 
 
 "It was insane all you could do was just feel stuff pounding the house," he said. 
 
 Residents of this senior living complex were stranded when portions of its roof torn away and emergency workers were unable to respond at the height of the storm. 
 
 Nearly every police car in town has been damaged, but still officers were out Saturday, banging on doors, making sure no one was trapped. 
 
 When the hurricane made landfall here late Friday night, the city was under a mandatory evacuation. 
 
 "I'll take a while to get it all straightened backup," said Randy Bonnett, who has been through Texas hurricanes before but he says he will not forget Harvey. 
 
 "You got three hours of hell and then an hour lull and then three hours hell," Bonnett said. 
 
 7:10 p.m.: Millions in danger of potentially catastrophic flooding 
 
 
 
 Harvey is still going and it's not going anywhere for awhile, CBS News' DeMarco Morgan reports. There are over 1,000 people assigned to search and rescue operations. Near Corpus Christi on Saturday, the Coast Guard rescued 17 people whose vessels were in distress. The governor of Texas has issued a disaster declaration for 50 counties. Saturday morning, Galveston got pounded. 
 
 With the storm stalling out, now millions are in danger of potentially catastrophic flooding. More than three feet of rain could fall in some places. 
 
 "We are just getting into this so people need to understand that the longevity of this is gonna go thru the weekend and even into the early part of next week," said Jeff Linder with the Harris County Flood Control in Houston. 
 
 Nearly 300,000 power outages have been reported and Corpus Christi is under a boil water order. Incredibly, no fatalities have been reported yet. In Rockport, where the storm took a direct hit, ten people were injured when the roof of a senior housing complex collapsed, according to local media reports. Hundreds of people were evacuated from a hotel there last night: 
 
 5:34 p.m.: White House releases photos of President Trump on teleconference call earlier Saturday 
 
 The White House said President Trump was briefed on the response to Harvey at Camp David, where he's spending the weekend. 
 
 Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead 
 
 
 
 
 
 Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead 
 
 
 
 
 
 4:11 p.m.: Coast Guard rescues 17 people 
 
 
 
 The Coast Guard says it has rescued 15 people onboard vessels near Port Aransas, Texas. Two Coast Guard helicopters were dispatched to help the ships earlier Saturday after receiving distress calls. 
 
 The Coast Guard said in a release that seven people were rescued from the tugboat Sabine; four people from the Signet Enterprise; and four from the vessel Sandy Point. 
 
 A man and a woman were also rescued in Houston, along with their dog. Read the full story here. 
 
 3:47 p.m.: President Trump thanks volunteers 
 
 THANK YOU to all of the great volunteers helping out with #HurricaneHarvey relief in Texas! https://t.co/Ds95oSgo8f — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017 
 
 3:31 p.m.: Harvey shuts down one-fifth of U.S. oil production 
 
 About one-third of the America's refining capacity reside in low-lying areas on the coast from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Lake Charles, Louisiana, the Associated Press reports. 
 
 The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said Friday that workers were evacuated from 86 of 737 manned oil production platforms where oil and gas are pumped from the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 The agency estimated that approximately 21.55 percent of oil production had been shut down along with 23.24 percent of natural gas production. 
 
 The AP reports, citing FlightAware, that nearly 1,200 flights were cancelled on Friday and Saturday, and an additional 485 flights for Sunday were cancelled. 
 
 2:27 p.m. President Trump receives update from cabinet officials 
 
 President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence met with cabinet members and senior administration officials via video teleconference Saturday about the hurricane, according to a White House readout of the meeting. Mr. Trump expressed that all departments and agencies involved should stay focused on saving lives, the White House said. 
 
 Mr. Trump, who had been receiving updates from his chief of staff John Kelly Friday night and Saturday morning, directed his team to support the governors of Texas and Louisiana. Mr. Trump on Friday night signed a disaster declaration for the state of Texas at Gov. Greg Abbott's request. The declaration frees up federal resources to alleviate affected localities. 
 
 2:18 p.m.: Texas governor: No confirmation of fatalities; 338,000 without power 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he could not confirm any fatalities from now-Tropical Storm Harvey. He says 338,000 customers are without power and service might not be restored for several days. 
 
 Jay Janner / AP 
 
 2:15 p.m.: Hotel taxes suspended for evacuees 
 
 Evacuees from areas affected by Harvey as well as first responders will be able to stay in hotels tax-free, Abbott says. He said he has waived the state's surcharge in a proclamation. 
 
 Abbott said about 1,500 evacuees are currently staying at Texas state park facilities. Nearly 1,500 more are staying in 21 Red Cross shelters and 42 more shelters are standing by to accept more evacuees. More than 200 buses have been deployed to transport residents, Abbott said. 
 
 2:13 p.m. 1,000 people involved in search and rescue operations 
 
 Abbott says 1,000 workers are focused on search and rescue operations, which he said "will be one of the foremost tasks that we take in the coming days." 
 
 Search and rescue "will be one of the foremost tasks that we take in the coming days," Gov. Abbott says https://t.co/8YHzAJZ5CQ pic.twitter.com/xh7822hmG8 — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 26, 2017 
 
 2:10 p.m.: 1,800 service members to assist in recovery in Texas 
 
 Abbott says 1,300 Texas service members are already assisting in recovery and search and rescue efforts, with another 500 to be activated soon. 
 
 2:06 p.m.: Abbott says state concerned about 20 to 30 more inches of rain 
 
 "Turn around. Don't drown," the governor said. He says flooding is still a major concern. 
 
 "Now that the hurricane has come on shore our primary concern remains dramatic flooding," Abbott said. Abbott said about 20 inches of rain has already fallen in Corpus Christi and about 16 inches in Houston. 
 
 2:05 p.m.: Texas governor gives update on Harvey 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is providing an update on Harvey from Austin, Texas. You can watch on CBSN at the top of this post. 
 
 1:50 p.m. Harvey downgraded to tropical storm 
 
 Harvey is now a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) says in its latest release. 
 
 Winds have slowed to 70 mph, down from a peak of 130 mph when Harvey made landfall late Friday. The storm is now located 45 miles north-northwest of Victoria, Texas, and moving at 2 mph. 
 
 But Texas isn't out of the woods yet. The NHC adds that an "extremely serious flooding event is unfolding" as the storm continues to drench the area in rain. Some areas have seen rainfall of up to 3 inches per hour at times. The threat of storm surge continues to threaten low-lying areas, as well. 
 
 1:39 p.m.: Texas attorney general warns against price gouging 
 
 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined CBSN to discuss Harvey, and warned potential price gougers from taking advantage of residents as flooding continues. 
 
 "Under Texas law, you're not allowed to massively increase your prices by more than 10 percent, [that's] the approximate number, when there's some type of crisis or catastrophe," Paxton said. "There's significant fines for that, up to $20,000 per incident. If you're doing that to somebody over 65, it could be up to $250,000." 
 
 Paxton said his office has received over 200 calls about potential price gouging. He said investigators have looked into instances of alleged price gougers charging nearly $100 for a case of water. 
 
 12:45 p.m.: Texas evacuates prisoners threatened by flooding 
 
 
 
 The Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced Saturday three prisons would be evacuated in Brazoria County, just south of Houston, as rainfall from Hurricane Harvey slams the area. 
 
 In a news release, the department said approximately 4,500 inmates will be evacuated beginning Saturday morning. 
 
 "These evacuated offenders will not be available for visits at the designated receiving units, but will have the ability to use the offender telephone system," the statement said. "Additional food and water has been delivered to the prisons receiving the displaced inmates."11:59 a.m.: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warns of "ongoing danger" from flooding 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday said ongoing flooding in the wake of Harvey poses the greatest danger in the days ahead, as rescue efforts are already underway in the southeast part of the state. 
 
 The Republican governor told CBSN that the hurricane, which made landfall late Friday night as a Category 4 storm but has since been downgraded to Category 1, has caused "great devastation." As it moves slowly and unleashes devastating amounts of rain on the Texas coastline, Abbott says flooding is the greatest concern. Read the full story here. 
 
 11:32 a.m.: Mayor of Rockport, Texas, details "widespread damage" 
 
 The mayor of Rockport, Texas, says the town has suffered "widespread damage" from Hurricane Harvey as the storm continues to dump rain across southeast Texas. Mayor Charlie Wax joined CBSN to discuss the situation in Rockport, one of the towns hardest hit by the storm. 
 
 "Our high school is damaged. One of our learning centers is also damaged. We have businesses that are destroyed, we have homes that have been destroyed, and at the very least lives are disrupted," Wax said. 
 
 The mayor said, as of Saturday morning, there were no confirmation of any deaths, but said it was likely because the response teams haven't been able to survey the town completely. 
 
 He also warned residents to "stay in place," adding that it wasn't safe to return home. 
 
 "Stay in place, protect yourself. If you did evacuate, do not even attempt to go back," he said. "Stay away, let the first responders do their job." 
 
 10:55 a.m.: Harvey expected to weaken to tropical storm this afternoon 
 
 The National Hurricane Center says Harvey remains a Category 1 hurricane as wind speeds remain at 75 mph. The threat for serious flooding will continue for several days as the storm continues to move slowly over inland Texas. 
 
 In its latest advisory, the NHC says "torrential rains will continue for a few more days." The center says Harvey should become a tropical storm sometime Saturday afternoon. 
 
 Harvey made landfall late Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 130 mph. It has slowed overnight but will continue to pull in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and could still move back out over water. 
 
 10:28 a.m.: NASA animation of satellite data shows rainfall upon making land 
 
 @NASA's GPM satellite analyzed Hurricane Harvey's rainfall as it made landfall in Texas: https://t.co/OGW4LLZvd5 pic.twitter.com/eWF3cHVL1N — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 26, 2017 
 
 10:25 a.m.: Houston airport lifts ground stop on incoming flights 
 
 Flights are beginning to land again at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport following an earlier ground stop on incoming flights. The airport said 225 flights have been canceled so far. 
 
 IB ground stop has been lifted, and aircraft are now beginning to land. Get the latest at https://t.co/9gZJSkXIjn #fly2houston — Houston Bush Airport (@iah) August 26, 2017 
 
 10:11 a.m.: Coast Guard responds to mayday calls 
 
 The Coast Guard says it is responding to tugboats in distress near Port Aransas, Texas. 
 
 In a statement, the Coast Guard says its Corpus Christi sector received mayday calls from the boats Belle Chase, Sandy Point and Sabine Pass near the Lydia Ann Channel. It has dispatched two MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews to the scene. 
 
 10:05 a.m.: Wind speeds slow to 75 mph 
 
 The National Hurricane Center says in an advisory that sustained wind speeds have decreased slightly to 75 mph. The storm remains a Category 1 hurricane. 
 
 Harvey's center is now about 25 miles west of Victoria, Texas, moving at 6 mph. 
 
 9:20 a.m.: More than 16 inches of rain have fallen in Victoria, Texas 
 
 CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez joined CBSN from Victoria, Texas, with an update from the heart of the storm. Speaking from his hotel as Harvey's eyewall whipped palm trees in the background, Bojorquez reports Victoria has received more than 16 inches of rain in the past 24 hours. 
 
 His hotel began swaying in the wind early Saturday morning. The roof of a car dealership behind the hotel began flapping in the heavy winds, indicating the likelihood of extensive structural damage as Harvey swirls over Texas. 
 
 "The big concern is not only all this wind, but of course all of this rain," Bojorquez reports. "They're not expecting just inches of rain here. They are expecting to get up to 2.5 feet. And so the major flooding that will happen as a result of this hurricane is something that they will deal with for days to come here." 
 
 9:12 a.m.: Michio Kaku says "agony has just begun" 
 
 CBS News science contributor Michio Kaku joined "CBS This Morning: Saturday" to discuss the science behind Harvey and why it will continue to cause damage for days. 
 
 "First of all, if it lingers over the land, it could cause massive flooding. And then, watch out," he said. "If it goes back into the Gulf, it could get reenergized and create a second, even a third landfall. And so the agony has just begun with this hurricane of the decade." 
 
 8:55 a.m.: Power outages now affect more than 255,000 customers in Texas 
 
 More than a quarter-million customers are without power in Texas early Saturday after Hurricane Harvey made landfall. Utilities are reporting outages affecting more than 255,000 customers. 
 
 AEP reported more than 192,000 customers without power as of early Saturday. CenterPoint Energy reported nearly 58,000 customers without power. 
 
 Outages were also reported by Austin Energy, CPS, Entergy and Oncor. Read the full story here. 
 
 8:35 a.m.: Latest forecast as Harvey settles over Texas 
 
 Texans are facing days of rain as Hurricane Harvey settles in. Meteorologist Megan Glaros joined "CBS This Morning: Saturday" with the latest forecast at the top of the hour. 
 
 The system continues to weaken in terms of wind speed, but it continues to pull in moisture from warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Winds have decreased to 80 mph and the storm continues to move at a sluggish 6 mph, which will continue for the next few days. 
 
 In Victoria, Texas, more than 16 inches of rain has fallen. McFaddin and Austwell have received just under 12 inches, and Edna and Sugar Land about 9 inches. Total rainfall could total more than 40 inches in places over the coming days. 
 
 7:25 a.m.: President Trump says he is "closely monitoring" storm, FEMA director doing "great job" 
 
 Closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David. We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs. working great together! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017 
 
 You are doing a great job - the world is watching! Be safe. https://t.co/PJLdxy3hD9 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017 
 
 6:15 a.m.: Category 1, with maximum winds near 90 mph 
 
 Hurricane Harvey became a Category 1 storm with top wind speeds near 90 mph, the National Hurricane Center reported. Tide gauges near Port Lavaca, Texas, recorded water levels more than 6.5 feet higher than normal. 
 
 STAFF / REUTERS 
 
 5:00 a.m.: From Category 3 to Category 2 
 
 The National Hurricane Center downgraded Hurricane Harvey to a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph. Harvey is likely to become a tropical storm later today as it moves further inland, predicted NHC forecasters who also warned of "catastrophic flooding over the next few days due to heavy rainfall." . 
 
 4:30 a.m.: Emergency crews in limbo 
 
 Many emergency crews were unable to make rescues early Saturday because of Harvey's strong winds. Melissa Munguia, the deputy emergency management coordinator in Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, said early Saturday that it could be several more hours before crews could fully assess the damage in coastal communities. 
 
 ADREES LATIF / REUTERS 
 
 3:40 a.m.: More than 211,000 homes and businesses lose power 
 
 More than 211,000 customers were without power on the Texas Gulf Coast due to effects from Hurricane Harvey, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported. The storm was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane early Saturday morning, as Harvey's maximum sustained winds decreased to nearly 125 mph. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours while the center of Harvey is over southeastern Texas. 
 
 2:30 a.m.: Homeowner shoots intruder, cops say 
 
 A homeowner shot an alleged intruder in Corpus Christi just as Hurricane Harvey was making landfall late Friday night, Corpus Christi police said. Read the full story here on CBSNews.com. 
 
 The victim was taken to a local hospital, and was coherent when police arrived on scene, Corpus Christi police tweeted. According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, the victim was shot in the head. 
 
 Update on shooting @ 7100 Ficus Ct. homeowner shot intruder. Victim @ Hosp. with gunshot wound was coherent when medics took him. PIO Pace — Corpus Christi PD (@CorpusChristiPD) August 26, 2017 
 
 1:45 a.m.: "Boil water," Corpus Christi residents told 
 
 In Corpus Christi, the major city closest to the center of the storm, wind whipped palm trees and stinging sheets of horizontal rain slapped against hotels and office buildings along the city's seawall as the storm made landfall. Boats bobbed violently in the marina. It was too dark to tell whether any boats had broken their moorings. 
 
 City officials notified residents to "boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc)" to kill all potentially harmful bacteria and other microbes. "Water for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes." 
 
 1:15 a.m.: Early details emerge from Rockport 
 
 Rockport, Texas, a coastal city of about 10,000 people some 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, was directly in the path of Harvey when it came ashore. The city had peak wind surges of more than 125 mph, according to the National Weather Service. 
 
 Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Sims said there were about 15 firefighters at the city's fire station waiting for conditions to improve enough for their vehicles to safely respond to pleas for help. "There's nothing we can do at this moment. We are anxious to get out there and make assessments, but we're hunkered down for now," Sims said, according to an Associated Press report. 
 
 Fire Department spokeswoman Gillian Cox told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that the roof of Rockport's high school has partially caved in. But Cox says social media posts that the school has "disappeared" are inaccurate. 
 
 Rockport City Manager Kevin Carruth told the newspaper that the courthouse also sustained major damage. Carruth said a cargo trailer was halfway in the building. 
 
 Earlier Friday, Rockport Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Rios offered ominous advice, telling a local TV station that those who chose to stay put "should make some type of preparation to mark their arm with a Sharpie pen," implying doing so would make it easier for rescuers to identify them. 
 
 When I reported people in Rockport, TX were being told to write their social security # on their arms, people tweeted me it was ridiculous. https://t.co/BkVhUJsGz6 — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) August 26, 2017 
 
 12:30 a.m.: Facebook activates "Safety Check" feature 
 
 Facebook has activated its Safety Check feature for Hurricane Harvey, allowing Facebook users to inform friends and family of their whereabouts during the weather emergency. 
 
 Facebook users can also find the feature on their smartphone apps. As CBSNews.com sibling site CNET explains: "Safety Check is now integrated into the mobile apps, meaning you can manually notify friends of your status as well as follow crises worldwide and even offer support. The only trick is finding it. When Facebook does a server-side activation, you'll usually see a notification right at the top of the app. But if you want to access the feature yourself, it requires a bit of menu-diving." 
 
 Here's a primer from CNET on how to find the feature on Android devices and iPhones. 
 
 12:00 a.m.: Roof collapses at senior housing complex 
 
 Several residents are trapped inside a senior housing complex in Rockport, Texas, where a roof collapsed, a city manager confirmed to CBS News. 
 
 City manager in Rockport, TX tells CBS News people trapped inside of senior housing complex where roof collapsed; rescuers unable to get in — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) August 26, 2017 
 
 A couple is trapped in a mobile home in Rockport after a tree fell on it, according to Rockport City Manager Kevin Carruth. 
 
 More than 32,000 homes and businesses have lost power in Corpus Christi, CBS affiliate KZTV reports. The city of Corpus Christi has issued a precautionary water boil advisory. 
 
 The City of Corpus Christi.. yeah, I'd say we lost some power. #hurricaneharvey 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/CAO8hy3oCl — Marisol Gonzalez (@MarisolKZTV) August 26, 2017 
 
 Large shipping boats in Port Aransas have broken away from their moorings, leading to significant damage, KZTV reports. 
 
 Storm surges up to 13 feet are predicted in some places with up to 40 inches of rain over several days. The National Weather Service warns some residents may not be able to return to their homes for weeks or months. 
 
 Friday 
 
 11:05 p.m.: Harvey makes landfall 
 
 The eye of Harvey made landfall just after 11 p.m. between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds, the National Weather Service said. 
 
 #Harvey made landfall at 10 PM CDT as a category 4 hurricane near Rockport, Texas, with max winds of 130 mph and min pressure of 938 mb. pic.twitter.com/98y5wpKmBw — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 26, 2017 
 
 9:51 p.m.: President Trump signs disaster proclamation 
 
 President Trump tweeted shortly before 10 p.m. that he had signed a disaster proclamation, which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said earlier Friday he had requested. The disaster proclamation will allow federal funds to flow into state and local relief efforts. 
 
 According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm is expected to make landfall "very soon." 
 
 Eye of Category 4 #Harvey almost onshore in Texas. Hurricane force winds reported at many observing stations. Landfall expected very soon. pic.twitter.com/JZ4tE1Bvbx — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 26, 2017 
 
 8:20 p.m.: Evacuees seek refuge in San Antonio 
 
 Hundreds of evacuees seeking shelter from Hurricane Harvey arrived in San Antonio on Friday, CBS affiliate KENS-TV reports. 
 
 Two shelters opened their doors Friday morning, and city officials announced they would make room for at least 6,000 evacuees. 
 
 "I get deep anxiety when it comes to stuff like this," Justine Vela of Corpus Christi told the station. Vela packed up her four children and left for San Antonio. 
 
 "My kids don't kinda know what's going on because they are little," she said. "I'm trying to keep them calm and safe. This is the best place for us to be right now." 
 
 7:45 p.m.: Trump prepares to face first major natural disaster as president 
 
 Hurricane Harvey will be the first major natural disaster of President Trump's administration. The White House is saying FEMA has changed since the organization's dismal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, CBS News' chief White House correspondent Major Garrett reports. 
 
 The failures of Katrina haunt emergency planners to this day, so much so, White House Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert felt compelled to say "now is not the time to lose faith in your government institutions." 
 
 "All the mayors and governors saw what happened at Katrina and they're not gonna let that happen," says David Paulison, who headed FEMA after Katrina and until 2009. He says that Katrina changed management procedures. 
 
 "Before we waited for the local community to become overwhelmed before the state stepped in, and waited for the state to become overwhelmed before the federal government stepped in," Paulison tells Garrett. 
 
 7:40 p.m.: FEMA urges residents to follow future orders 
 
 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials are encouraging residents and visitors in Hurricane Harvey's path to follow directions from local and state officials. 
 
 "I encourage residents who will be affected to follow directions from their local officials," Administrator Brock Long said in a statement. "Know your threats, heed the warnings, and if you're in the path of the storm, ensure your family is prepared for possible prolonged disruptions to normal services." 
 
 The agency has set up bases near Seguin, Texas, and areas closer to the storm's path to store supplies including more than 96,000 liters of water, 306,000 meals and 4,500 tarps and blankets, the Associated Press reports. State and local officials will be responsible for distributing the materials as needed. 
 
 7:20 p.m.: 20-30 inches of rain expected in Victoria, Texas 
 
 Victoria, Texas, is about 20 miles from the coast, but the distance is not expected to shield it from the worst impacts of Hurricane Harvey. Aside from winds up to 105 miles per hour, the biggest threat is the rain, CBS News' Manuel Bojorquez reports. 
 
 Victoria is in the bull's eye of Hurricane Harvey's rain, with 20-30 inches expected over the next 72 hours. that's a year's worth of rain for this city. 
 
 The flooding is expected to be worse than Victoria's 1998 disaster. 
 
 "We've never seen a forecast for that kind of localized rain, and I've been working hurricanes and emergencies here for several years. It's the most dangerous forecast we've ever seen," said O.C. Garza the Victoria Office of Emergency Management. 
 
 7:15 p.m.: Corpus Christi police stop responding to emergency calls 
 
 Corpus Christi police are not responding to calls for emergency service because of the current weather conditions. If you live in the area and you want to get out, the free bus rides are over and the city has discontinued the service, CBS News correspondent David Begnaud reports. 
 
 The National Weather Service says winds could leave homes uninhabitable for weeks or even months. Storm surge could reach 12 feet -- that's strong enough to wash away vehicles, Begnaud reports. 
 
 Fears of a power outage forced the sickest babies at a children's hospital to be moved out of the hurricane's path. Others are heeding the warnings and evacuating on their own. 
 
 7:02 p.m.: Hurricane Harvey upgraded to Category 4 storm 
 
 The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Hurricane Harvey to a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and is moving northwest at a speed of 8 miles an hour. The storm is about 45 miles outside of Corpus Christi. 
 
 NEW: #Harvey continues to intensify and is now a category 4 #hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/7CkJkuafTb — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 25, 2017 
 
 6:09 p.m.: Houston officials resist calls for evacuation 
 
 Houston is bracing for dozens of inches of rain, but officials are urging residents to stay put. 
 
 Judge Ed Emmett, Harris County's top official, said "no mass evacuations" would be called because the hurricane would not "directly" hit the area. 
 
 "Always say run from water, hide from wind, we mean storm surge, not rain. [It's] not the kind of water we would ask people to evacuation from," Emmett said. 
 
 Mayor Sylvester Turner also urged residents to stay off roads and in their homes. Turner said there might be "greater danger" in having residents who don't need to be evacuated onto roads that could possibly flood, the Associated Press reports. 
 
 6:13 p.m.: NWS issues "EXTREME WIND WARNING" 
 
 The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a warning for southwestern Calhoun County in south Texas, urging residents to "TAKE COVER NOW!" 
 
 "Widespread destructive winds of 115 to 145 mph will spread across Calhoun County, Aransas County, Nueces County, San Patricio County, Refugio County, producing swaths of tornado-like damage," the advisory says. "TAKE COVER NOW! Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to the safe room in your shelter. Take action now to protect your life!" 
 
 5:08 p.m.: Wind speeds reach 125 mph, officials warn of "catastrophic flooding" 
 
 The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says in an update that Harvey now has wind speeds of 125 mph. It's now about 60 miles southeast of Corpus Christi. 
 
 The NHC also says some areas of Texas could get 40 inches of rain and cause "catastrophic flooding." The storm surge is expected to be between 6 to 12 feet along parts of the coast. 
 
 5:06 p.m.: Feds won't question families about immigration status at shelters 
 
 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a joint statement Friday saying they won't question the immigration status of families arriving to hurricane shelters in Texas and Louisiana. 
 
 The agencies said their "highest priorities are to promote life-saving and life-sustaining activities, the safe evacuation of people who are leaving the impacted area, the maintenance of public order, the prevention of the loss of property to the extent possible, and the speedy recovery of the region." 
 
 The joint statement said that routine "non-criminal immigration enforcement operations" would not be conducted at evacuation sites or assistance centers such as shelters or food banks. 
 
 It also warned that immigration laws would not be suspended, and the agencies would "be vigilant against any effort by criminals to exploit disruptions caused by the storm." 
 
 5:03 p.m.: President Trump arrives at Camp David 
 
 The president has arrived at Camp David, where he will be monitoring the storm over the weekend: 
 
 Just arrived at Camp David where I am closely watching the path and doings of Hurricane Harvey, as it strengthens to a Category 3. BE SAFE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:50 p.m.: National Weather Service director: "The impacts will be extreme" 
 
 National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini issued a warning to Louisiana and Texas residents on Friday, calling the impact of Hurricane Harvey "extreme" and "devastating." 
 
 "Catastrophic inland flooding due to incredible rainfall amounts and damaging wind will also be associated with this storm," Uccellini said in a statement Friday. "The flooding will be catastrophic and life threatening. The economic impact will likely be devastating." 
 
 4:46 p.m.: NASA posts photos of storm from space 
 
 NASA posted new photos of Harvey from the International Space Station taken by astronaut Jack Fischer: 
 
 .@Astro2fish orbited over Hurricane #Harvey2017 and photographed the storm bearing down on the Texas coast. pic.twitter.com/eBzNc7NlMZ — Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:38 p.m.: Coast Guard rescues 12 
 
 The U.S. Coast Guard says it has rescued 12 people from the storm near Corpus Christi. 
 
 Breaking News: @USCG Air Station Corpus Christi rescued 12 as #HurricaneHarvey nears. Updates to follow soon at https://t.co/AJyH7tl8P9. pic.twitter.com/WRA8KzFQdy — USCG Heartland (@USCGHeartland) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:30 p.m.: Corpus Christi mayor: "You can't force people to leave" 
 
 Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb told CBSN that he hadn't issued a mandatory evacuation order citywide because "you can't force people to leave and send police out there and drag them out." 
 
 He added, "you can highly recommend it, and we've done that, and say they need to get out of low-lying areas." 
 
 McComb said he'd received a positive response of residents who were seeking higher grounds. "Many people have gone to San Antonio and points beyond," he said Friday. 
 
 4:15 p.m.: Tornado threats in Louisiana and Texas 
 
 The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for for parts of Louisiana and Texas lasting until 3:00 a.m. on Saturday. 
 
 A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Louisiana and Texas until 2 AM CDT pic.twitter.com/WjHxXSSDFt — NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:00 p.m.: Vice President Pence halts travel 
 
 Vice President Mike Pence will remain in Washington D.C. during the storm, his spokesman Marc Lotter announced on Twitter. Pence will coordinate with President Trump as he visits Camp David with first lady Melania Trump on Friday. 
 
 The White House said Marine One landed at Camp David at 3:46 p.m. on Friday, according to the pool report. 
 
 Due to #HurricaneHarvey, @VP Pence will remain in DC this wknd, coordinating with @POTUS Trump at Camp David, monitoring storm & response. — Marc Lotter (@VPPressSec) August 25, 2017 
 
 3:18 p.m.: President Trump tweets about Harvey 
 
 President Trump addressed the threat of Hurricane Harvey on Friday, urging residents to follow the advice of local and state officials. 
 
 I encourage everyone in the path of #HurricaneHarvey to heed the advice & orders of their local and state officials. https://t.co/N6uEWCZUrv — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 
 
 3:15 p.m.: Texas governor requests disaster declaration 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott held an afternoon news conference warning residents that Harvey is going to be a "very major disaster." Abbott said Friday that he's asked President Trump for a federal disaster declaration. 
 
 Abbott warned residents in coastal areas to evacuate their homes, even if local officials hadn't issued an official warning. 
 
 "Even if an evacuation order has not been issued by your local official," Abbott said, "if you are in areas between Corpus Christi and Houston, and maybe even some other areas, especially low lying areas, you need to strongly consider evacuating." 
 
 He added, "You don't want to put yourself in a situation where you could be subject to a search and rescue." 
 
 3:00 p.m.: Hurricane Harvey reaches Category 3 
 
 Harvey became a Category 3 hurricane Friday afternoon, with sustained winds of 120 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. ||||| Five hours after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas around 10 p.m. as a Category 4 storm, it was downgraded to a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, a decrease from 130 mph when it made landfall. 
 
 Interested in Hurricane Harvey? Add Hurricane Harvey as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Hurricane Harvey news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest 
 
 And Harvey was downgraded to a Category 3 storm around 1 a.m., after winds decreased to 125 mph. 
 
 Harvey also made a second landfall on the northeastern shore of Copano Bay around the time it was downgraded to Category 3. 
 
 The storm is the strongest to hit the state in decades, with catastrophic flooding expected. The last Category 4 storm to hit the U.S. was Charley in 2004 in Florida, while the last Category 4 storm to hit Texas was Carla in 1961. 
 
 Residents staying in the area frantically stocked up on food, water and gas, while others heading out of the storm's path boarded up windows and doors of their homes and businesses. 
 
 Airlines canceled flights, schools were shuttered while concerts and other planned events in Houston and coastal cities were postponed. 
 
 The hurricane's effects are expected to linger for days, with heavy rainfall through next week estimated to be as high as 40 inches in some areas. 
 
 TNS via Newscom 
 
 "This is going to be a storm we talk about, unfortunately, for at least the next seven days," ABC News Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee said Friday on "GMA." 
 
 Brian Thevenot/Reuters 
 
 Here's what we know about the storm. 
 
 What's ahead 
 
 Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane over the northern end of San Jose Island between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor at 10 p.m. local time Friday, with sustained winds of about 130 mph and stronger gusts, according to the National Weather Service. At the time, the storm's eye was 30 miles away from the coastal city of Corpus Christi, Texas. 
 
 The National Weather Service warned Harvey could bring a potentially devastating storm surge, heavy rainfall and wind hazards to the Lone Star State's coast. A tornado watch is in effect for areas of southeastern Texas and southwest Louisiana. 
 
 Life-threatening storm surge waters could reach 9 to 13 feet above ground level. Catastrophic flooding is expected across parts of the area. And rainfall will be heavy, with an estimated 15 to 30 inches of rain falling in many areas and as high as 40 inches in some from today through Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. 
 
 ABC News 
 
 Here's a projected timeline for Hurricane Harvey thus far, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service: 
 
 Saturday: Harvey roared ashore late Friday evening. The storm's path going forward remains uncertain but it is forecast to meander near or just inland of the middle of the Texas coast through the weekend. 
 
 Sunday through Monday: Some forecast models show Harvey expanding across the Gulf Coast as it makes its way over southern Texas. 
 
 Tuesday through Wednesday: The hurricane could, according to some models, move northeast and then re-emerge briefly over the Gulf of Mexico before making a second landfall in northeastern Texas or western Louisiana. 
 
 ABC News 
 
 Preparation and evacuations 
 
 Storm preparation began in earnest on Wednesday and intensified on Thursday. Shoppers lined up to fill their carts with food and water, while lines for gas stretched out of many stations. Some people also got to work boarding up their homes and businesses to protect against the expected 100-plus mile per hour winds. Even the Texas Department of Transportation in Victoria boarded up its windows on Thursday. 
 
 As of Friday, governors had declared states of emergencies for 30 counties in Texas and statewide for Louisiana. 
 
 Corpus Christi resident Alex Garcia bought bottled water, bread and other basic grocery items in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land because they were likely more available there than back home, where stores were "crazy," he told The Associated Press. 
 
 And as Houston resident Bill Pennington prepared his one-story home for another deluge in the flood-prone city, the father told The Associated Press he comforted his nervous 9-year-old son by saying, "We know how to handle it. We'll handle it again." 
 
 AP 
 
 The Coast Guard said Thursday it was sending shallow-depth vessels to Texas and Louisiana that are capable of responding in flooded urban areas. And with gale force winds predicted to arrive within 24 hours, the Coast Guard on Thursday also ordered a nearly total closure of ports in Houston, Texas City, Galveston, Freeport and Corpus Christi. 
 
 By Friday afternoon, the Coast Guard had already completed its first search-and-rescue mission, rescuing 12 people from a 160-foot vessel near Port Mansfield, Texas. 
 
 Texas officials announced mandatory evacuations for all seven counties on the coast: Calhoun County, San Patricio County, Refugio County, Brazoria County, Jackson County, Victoria County and Matagorda County. In four of those countries, officials ordered their entire county to evacuate and warned those who chose to stay behind that their rescue could not be guaranteed. Voluntary evacuations were urged for residents in other areas. 
 
 While a mandatory evacuation order is not in place for Corpus Christi, Mayor Joe McComb did advise residents to voluntarily evacuate ahead of the storm. 
 
 Mayor McComb strongly encourages evacuation, especially the low lying areas of Area A and B as seen in the map below (pink and yellow area). pic.twitter.com/Z5gspafgSn — CityOfCorpusChristi (@cityofcc) August 24, 2017 
 
 Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long urged people in the path of the storm to heed warnings and to take evacuation orders seriously. 
 
 "This may be the first major landfall hurricane we've had since 2005," Long said in an interview on "Good Morning America" Friday. "So there's going to be damage." 
 
 As of Friday morning, FEMA had amassed more than 96,000 liters of water, 306,000 meals and 4,500 tarps at incident support bases in Seguin and Fort Worth, Texas, as well as in Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, should the states need them. 
 
 Storm preparations have extended to New Orleans, where FEMA said it's working to make sure the Louisiana city's pumps are functioning in anticipation of the seven to 10 inches of rainfall expected there. The National Guard is also readying 500,000 sandbags, FEMA said. 
 
 More than 120,000 people have lost power in the Corpus Christi area as a result of Hurricane Harvey so far. 
 
 ABC News 
 
 How officials are responding 
 
 Politicians and officials have taken a proactive approach to the storm. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday night that he had discussed storm preparation with President Donald Trump, as well as with the heads of FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. On Friday, Abbott sent a letter to Trump requesting a presidential disaster declaration in anticipation of Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 “Granting this request will provide Texans the additional resources needed to protect themselves, their property and rebuild their lives if necessary after Hurricane Harvey,” Abbott said in a statement. 
 
 White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said at the press briefing Friday afternoon that Trump is planning to visit Texas "early next week." 
 
 Many state and local officials have urged residents to pay attention to evacuation orders, as it will be too late to leave once the storm hits. 
 
 Spoke with Pres. Trump & heads of Homeland Security & FEMA. They're helping Texas respond to #HurricaneHarvey. pic.twitter.com/dr0rig9DNK — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 24, 2017 
 
 If you have been asked by local officials to evacuate in TX, your window to do so is closing https://t.co/EWm3czdOsb — Brock Long (@FEMA_Brock) August 25, 2017 
 
 Over the next several days we can expect possibly 10-20 inches n our City w/a probability of flooding in parts of our City. Be prepared. st — Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 25, 2017 
 
 Trump announced on Twitter late Friday that he had approved Abbott's request for a disaster declaration in Texas, formally making federal funds and resources available to assist state recovery efforts. 
 
 At the request of the Governor of Texas, I have signed the Disaster Proclamation, which unleashes the full force of government help! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017 
 
 Texas' hurricane history 
 
 The storm is already being compared to Hurricane Bret, which hit Texas on Aug. 22, 1999. That storm made landfall in Kenedy County, just south of Corpus Christi, according to the National Weather Service -- a path that was similar to the one forecast for Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 Here's a timeline of some of the recent hurricanes to hit Texas and the damage they caused: 
 
 Hurricane Bret (Aug. 22, 1999): The Category 3 storm made landfall on a Sunday evening about 60 miles south of Corpus Christi. Luckily, the area is sparsely populated compared to Corpus Christi, and so problems were limited. Central Kenedy County received more than 15 inches of rain over two days, according to the NWS. The storm did about $88 million in damages in 2017 figures. Four Americans died in the storm. 
 
 Hurricane Claudette (July 15, 2003): While Claudette came ashore as only a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 90 miles per hour, it did extensive damage after coming ashore at Port O'Connor, about 100 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, and moving inland across Calhoun County, according to the NWS. Two people were killed. 
 
 Hurricane Rita (Sept. 24, 2005): The last Category 3 storm to make landfall in Texas was Rita, though it did so much farther north than Harvey is expected to land. Rita, which hit just three weeks after Hurricane Katrina, made landfall right along the Texas-Louisiana border with sustained winds of 120 miles per hour. The town of Center, Texas -- near Nacogdoches -- received 10.48 inches of rain in the storm, but it moved quickly through the area, limiting rainfall accumulation. Still, 59 people from Texas were killed in the storm, according to the NWS, and a number of others died in a bus accident during evacuations. 
 
 Hurricane Ike (Sept. 13, 2008): Ike, the last hurricane to make landfall in Texas, hit near Galveston as a Category 2 storm after decimating areas of the Caribbean in the week prior with winds as high as 145 miles per hour. By the time it hit Galveston, winds were at a sustained maximum of 110 miles per hour, according to the NWS. The massive size of Ike resulted in substantial rainfall totals for the area. The highest total was 18.9 inches near Spring Creek, south of Houston, according to the NWS. Some sensors measuring storm surge actually failed due to salt water, according to a NOAA report, but the highest total was 17.5 feet in Chambers County. 
 
 Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images ||||| Carolyn Price empties a fridge on the lower level of her property in Matagorda, Texas before Hurricane Harvey makes landfall Friday, Aug. 25, 2017. Conditions were deteriorating along Texas's Gulf Coast... (Associated Press) 
 
 Carolyn Price empties a fridge on the lower level of her property in Matagorda, Texas before Hurricane Harvey makes landfall Friday, Aug. 25, 2017. Conditions were deteriorating along Texas's Gulf Coast on Friday as Hurricane Harvey strengthened and slowly moved toward the state, with forecasters warning... (Associated Press) 
 
 HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on Hurricane Harvey as it takes aim at the Texas coast (all times local): 
 
 11:40 a.m. 
 
 Forecasters now say there's a good chance Hurricane Harvey may hit Texas twice, worsening projected flooding. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center's official five-day forecast Friday has Harvey slamming the central Texas coast, stalling and letting loose with lots of rain. Then forecasters project the weakened but still tropical storm is likely to go back into the Gulf of Mexico, gain some strength and hit Houston next week. 
 
 Jeff Masters, Weather Underground's meteorology director, said this could cause a collision of high water with nowhere to go. Harvey is projected to drop up to 3 feet (0.91 meter) of rain in some places over the next several days. 
 
 But a second landfall near Houston means more storm surge coming from the Gulf. Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water above the normal tide, generated by a storm. 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:30 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says he's keeping a close watch on Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 On Twitter Friday, Trump said he "Received a #HurricaneHarvey briefing this morning" from top federal officials. 
 
 In another statement on Twitter, Trump said he had spoken with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards. He added: "Closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey developments & here to assist as needed." 
 
 Trump tweeted Thursday, encouraging people to be prepared. Harvey is forecast to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday as a Category 3 storm. 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:15 a.m. 
 
 Corpus Christi officials say all flights out of the city's airport have been canceled as Hurricane Harvey approaches. 
 
 The city said in a news release late Friday morning that the airlines had canceled all flights out of Corpus Christi International Airport for the rest of the day. 
 
 The city said the airport isn't closed, but officials don't anticipate much activity over the weekend. Runways will be closed as conditions warrant. The hurricane is expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday morning. 
 
 The city says Southwest and United Airlines have no scheduled flights until Monday, while American Airlines hopes to resume service on Saturday. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:45 a.m. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says there's still time for coastal residents in the path of Hurricane Harvey to get out of harm's way. But he says they must leave immediately. 
 
 Abbott on Friday didn't second-guess local officials who have called for voluntary and not mandatory evacuations. He told The Weather Channel that mayors and local leaders "know their terrain very well." 
 
 Abbott has expressed concerns that not as many people are evacuating compared with previous storms as Harvey bears down on the state. Harvey is forecast to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday as a Category 3 storm. 
 
 Abbott has activated about 700 members of the Texas National Guard in preparation for Harvey. The storm is set to be the first hurricane to make landfall on the Texas coast since Hurricane Ike in 2008. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:20 a.m. 
 
 Hurricane Harvey continues to swirl toward the middle Texas coast as it flirts with becoming a major Category 3 storm. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center's latest advisory as of 10 a.m. Friday places the storm about 115 miles (185 kilometers) southeast of Corpus Christi, moving 10 mph (17 kph) to the northwest. Sustained winds have been holding at 110 mph (177 kph). 
 
 Forecasters have said it will intensify and make landfall Friday evening or early Saturday as a likely Category 3 storm, meaning sustained winds topping 115 mph (185.07 kph). 
 
 Once the storm makes landfall, gradual weakening is forecast but because so much of the storm remains over the warm Gulf of Mexico, which fuels Harvey, the hurricane center says the weakening could be slower than normal. 
 
 That also means the storm is likely to be a huge rainmaker. Predictions for a wide area of Texas from the coast and inland for rainfall measuring up to nearly 3 feet (0.91 meter) as the storm stalls and meanders well into next week. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10 a.m. 
 
 An emergency management official on the Texas coast says a primary concern as Harvey approaches is heavy rain that could leave many towns isolated for days as they're turned into "essentially islands." 
 
 Harvey is forecast to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday as a Category 3 storm. 
 
 Melissa Munguia is deputy emergency management coordinator for Nueces (nyoo-AY'-sis) County. She says there are vast flatlands just inland from the central Texas coast that are prone to flooding. 
 
 The approximately 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain that Harvey may bring could leave towns in the area isolated well into next week. 
 
 Munguia says that traffic backups were being seen Friday on heavily traveled roads such as Interstate 37 as people move inland to San Antonio and other locations. 
 
 ___ 
 
 7:45 a.m. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center warns that conditions are deteriorating as Hurricane Harvey strengthens and slowly moves toward the Texas coast. 
 
 The center says preparations for the storm "should be rushed to completion" Friday morning along Texas' central Gulf Coast. 
 
 The center says the storm has maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (177 kph), just shy of the benchmark for a Category 3 storm. Forecasters say the storm is expected to reach that mark before making landfall late Friday or early Saturday. 
 
 Millions of people are bracing for a prolonged battering that could swamp dozens of counties more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) inland. 
 
 Brock Long is the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He tells "Good Morning America" that Harvey is a "very serious" threat and that the window for evacuating is quickly closing. 
 
 Long says he expects extensive damage from significant rain over the next three days. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1:30 a.m. 
 
 Texas residents and officials are preparing for Hurricane Harvey, which the National Hurricane Center says has strengthened to a Category 2 storm. 
 
 Harvey grew quickly Thursday from a tropical depression into a Category 1 hurricane. Early Friday, the center reported it's now at a Category 2. 
 
 Fueled by warm Gulf of Mexico waters, the storm is projected to become a major Category 3 hurricane. Forecasters are labeling it a "life-threatening storm" with landfall predicted late Friday or early Saturday between Port O'Connor and Matagorda Bay, a 30-mile (48-kilometer) stretch of coastline about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northeast of Corpus Christi. 
 
 Texas officials have been expressing concern that not as many people are evacuating compared with previous storms as Hurricane Harvey bears down on the state. ||||| CLOSE WTSP Meteorologist Bobby Deskins says Hurricane Harvey is not letting up as it heads toward the Texas coast. USA TODAY 
 
 Mark Jones helps board up windows in Port Aransas ahead of hurricane Harvey on Aug. 24, 2017. (Photo: Courtney Sacco, Caller-Times via the USA TODAY Network) 
 
 Hurricane Harvey will turn into a "beast" of a storm, meteorologists say, one that's forecast to bring catastrophic, life-threatening flooding to much of Texas. 
 
 Even after the storm makes landfall late Friday or early Saturday near Corpus Christi as a likely Category 3 hurricane — potentially the USA's strongest hurricane in 12 years — Harvey will stall and spin for the next three to five days, dumping up to 2 feet of rain across the region. 
 
 "The forecast for Harvey continues to grow more dire," warned the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi. 
 
 Though a 4-6 foot storm surge and howling, 100+ mph winds will be a deadly threat, the storm's biggest concern may eventually turn out to be flooding from days of torrential rain. 
 
 Harvey "may be nothing short of a flooding disaster," for Texas, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski, who said that some communities could be underwater for days. 
 
 The storm will cause much worse damage from flooding and wind than would normally occur from a fast-moving storm of similar size, he said. 
 
 Once it moves ashore, even if it weakens to a tropical storm, Harvey will essentially be "trapped" between two sprawling areas of high pressure, the National Weather Service said. One high-pressure area will be over the Desert Southwest and the other central Gulf of Mexico, Weather Channel meteorologist Jon Erdman said. 
 
 More: Gas prices at risk of rising as Hurricane Harvey bears down 
 
 More: Hurricane Harvey roars toward Texas coast, should be 115-mph storm at landfall with 'life-threatening' flooding 
 
 This will leave Harvey as a potent but rudderless rainstorm with nothing to steer it or push it around. 
 
 While it sits and spins, phenomenal amounts of rain will be wrung out of Harvey; some projections say as much as 60 inches. It's possible Harvey's heavy rain may not entirely exit the areas of Texas it soaks until next Wednesday. 
 
 "This could become a prolonged and very dangerous rain event," the weather service in Houston said. 
 
 In all, the storm could dump at least 15 trillion gallons of water on Texas, WeatherBell meteorologist Ryan Maue said. 
 
 In addition to the Corpus Christi area, near where the storm should make landfall, Harvey "has the potential to cause very serious flooding in such highly populated, flood-prone regions as the Austin-San Antonio corridor and the Houston metro area," Weather Underground meteorologist Jeff Masters said. 
 
 Harvey may be the strongest landfall in this area known as the Texas Coastal Bend since infamous Category 3 Hurricane Celia hammered the Corpus Christi area in August 1970 with wind gusts up to 161 mph, the Weather Channel said. 
 
 Celia damaged almost 90% of the city's businesses and 70% of its residences. 
 
 Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2xwJblj ||||| JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. Houston, TX ABA # 021000021 For credit to: Greater Houston Community Foundation A/C#: 849170287 For further credit to: Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund 
 
 Online Credit Card Donations: Visit www.ghcf.org . Online credit card donations will be assessed a small fee, typically 3 percent, by the credit card companies. Donors have the option of increasing their credit card donations to cover this fee. Checks/Money Orders: Mail to Greater Houston Community Foundation, 5120 Woodway Drive, Suite 6000, Houston, TX 77056. Transfer Cash by Wire: Wire To: 
 
 "We are getting calls from across the country and right here in our hometown, and the generosity of people who understand this disaster is truly amazing," Mayor Turner said. "Together we can make a difference to those who will need extensive help to get back on their feet once this storm is over." 
 
 Earlier Sunday, Abbott said the state activated 3,000 National Guard and State Guard members as a result of the storm damage. He also said 500 vehicles and 14 aircraft had been put into service. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says another 1,000 National Guard members will be sent to Houston on Monday as flooding from Harvey continues to ravage the area. The governor announced the move late Sunday on his personal Twitter account. 
 
 Meanwhile, officials in Fort Bend County, Houston's southwestern suburbs, late Sunday issued widespread mandatory evacuation orders along the Brazos River levee districts. County officials were preparing for the river to reach major flood stages late Sunday. County Judge Robert Herbert said at a news conference that National Weather Service officials were predicting that the water could rise to 59 feet, three feet above 2016 records and what Herbert called an "800-year flood level." Herbert said that amount of water would top the levees and carries a threat of levee failure. 
 
 Thousands of homes could be affected by the releases, CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV reports . 
 
 Harris and Fort Bend county officials said Sunday that residents around certain areas should be prepared for the influx of water that was scheduled to happen at Addicks around 2 a.m. local time Monday and a day later at Barker. Officials warned residents they should pack their cars Sunday night and wait for daylight Monday to leave. 
 
 Residents living around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs designed to help prevent flooding in downtown Houston, were warned Sunday that a controlled release from both reservoirs would cause additional street flooding and could spill into homes. Rising water levels and continuing rain was putting pressure on the dams that could cause a failure without the release. 
 
 he American Red Cross was expanding the shelter by the hour. Volunteers initially set out around 1,300 cots and quickly assembled more in anticipation of other evacuees arriving through the night. They have enough space and cots to house 5,000 people. 
 
 Hundreds of people affected by devastating flooding in Houston have flocked to a downtown showcase convention center-turned-emergency shelter. Many arrived Sunday carrying little more than what was in their pockets. Most are preparing for a stay of several days, as water rises inside their homes and roads remain impassable. 
 
 Some 269,000 homes and businesses were in the dark in Southest Texas early Monday due to Harvey, utilities reported. 
 
 Smith says the city's 911 emergency response system has been challenged by sharply increased call volumes since the tropical storm made landfall late Friday. 
 
 Public Information Officer Keith Smith also says Sunday that rescue efforts continue and now are focused on those who feel trapped inside a home or building. 
 
 Houston officials continue to urge people to shelter in place and stay off flooded roadways as Harvey continues to batter the nation's fourth-largest city. 
 
 The center says people in the upper Texas coast and in southwestern Louisiana should continue to monitor Harvey's progress. 
 
 The hurricane center says Harvey's center was expected to drift off the middle Texas coast Monday and meander offshore through Tuesday before beginning "a slow northeastward motion." 
 
 That means it remains virtually stalled near the coast and continues to drop heavy rain on the Houston and Galveston areas. In the past 48 hours, numerous spots in the region have measured more than 25 inches of rain. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center said in its 4 a.m. CDT update that the tropical storm still has sustained winds of up to 40 mph and is centered 20 miles east of Victoria, Texas, about 120 miles southwest of Houston. It continues to creep to the southeast at 3 mph. 
 
 Harvey continues to head back toward the Gulf of Mexico at a slow pace. 
 
 Edwards said life-saving efforts such as search and rescue and shelters will be needed, especially in southwest Louisiana where forecasters say 10 to 20 inches of rain could fall. 
 
 Gov. John Bel Edwards said he sent a letter to the White House requesting the initial disaster declaration for five parishes in southwest Louisiana, and could add more areas to the request later. 
 
 Louisiana's governor is asking President Trump for a federal emergency declaration for Louisiana since forecasters expect Harvey to cause significant damage in the state. 
 
 Those in need of assistance should visit www.disasaterassistance.gov if they have internet access or call 1-800-621-FEMA. 
 
 Long encouraged Americans who want to help storm victims to go to the website www.NVOAD.org to connect with National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, which is coordinating donations and volunteers. 
 
 According to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service, the storm is expected to dump another 15 to 20 inches of additional rainfall on the region before it's over. 
 
 Duke said she will accompany President Trump as he visits Houston on Tuesday. 
 
 For now, she urged local residents to avoid calling 911 unless they were in need of urgent, immediate medical assistance. 
 
 Duke said emergency officials are currently focused on rescue efforts and plan to move into recovery mode later this week. 
 
 "We are not out of the woods yet," said Elaine Duke, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. "Harvey is still a dangerous and historic storm." 
 
 "All disasters begin and end at the local level," he added. "All evacuation decisions are made at the local level in Texas." 
 
 When it comes to the emergency response and evacuations, Long said he believes local, state and federal agencies thus far have operated with the "best information that they had at the time." More widespread evacuations would have been "difficult" given the time frame, putting people at risk of becoming trapped in long lines of vehicles trying to escape rising floodwaters, which would have been worse than the shelter-in-place scenario playing out now. 
 
 Calling Harvey a "landmark event," Long said "you could not dream this forecast up." 
 
 In a Monday morning briefing, FEMA Administrator Brock Long said officials are expecting 30,000 people in emergency shelters. As many as 50 counties are feeling the impact of the storm. 
 
 The statement said the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA would coordinate disaster relief efforts "to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vermillion." 
 
 A statement from the White House Monday said President Donald Trump has declared an emergency in Louisiana, authorizing federal assistance for Harvey relief efforts in the state. 
 
 Follow along below for live updates on the storm. All times are Eastern unless otherwise noted. 
 
 The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Brock Long, predicted that the aftermath of the storm would require FEMA's involvement for years. "This disaster's going to be a landmark event," Long said. 
 
 "The breadth and intensity of this rainfall is beyond anything experienced before," the National Weather Service said in a statement. 
 
 As the water rose, the National Weather Service issued another ominous forecast: Before the storm is gone, some parts of Houston and its suburbs could get as much as 50 inches of rain. That would be the highest amount ever recorded in Texas. 
 
 Judging from federal disaster declarations, the storm has so far affected about a quarter of the Texas population, or 6.8 million people in 18 counties. It was blamed for at least two deaths. 
 
 Rescuers had to give top priority to life-and-death situations, leaving many affected families to fend for themselves. And several hospitals in the Houston area were evacuated due to the rising waters. 
 
 Volunteers joined emergency teams to pull people from their homes or from the water, which was high enough in places to gush into second floors. The flooding from Harvey, which made landfall late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane and has lingered dropping heavy rain as a tropical storm, was so widespread that authorities had trouble pinpointing the worst areas. They urged people to get on top of their houses to avoid becoming trapped in attics and to wave sheets or towels to draw attention to their location. 
 
 The incessant rain covered much of Houston in gray-green floodwaters and turned streets into rivers navigable only by boat. In a rescue effort that recalled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, helicopters landed near flooded freeways, airboats buzzed across submerged neighborhoods and high-water vehicles plowed through water-logged intersections. Some people managed with kayaks or canoes or swam. 
 
 "We are not out of the woods yet," Elaine Duke, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said at a Monday morning briefing. "Harvey is still a dangerous and historic storm." 
 
 The National Weather Service says flooding isn't expected to peak until Wednesday or Thursday. 
 
 HOUSTON -- The remnants of Hurricane Harvey continued dumping historic levels of rainfall on the Houston area Monday morning as devastating floods swamped the nation's fourth-largest city. Rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground and overwhelmed rescuers who could not keep up with the constant calls for help. 
 
 About 300,000 customers were without power statewide. Gov. Greg Abbott said it would probably be several days before electricity is restored. 
 
 One person was killed in Aransas County when in a fire at home during the storm, county Judge C.H. "Burt" Mills Jr. said. A second person died in flooding in Harris County, where Houston is located. 
 
 Harvey continues to cause "catastrophic flooding in southeastern Texas," the National Hurricane Center says. 
 
 The National Weather Service said catastrophic flooding in the Houston metropolitan area "is expected to worsen and could become historic in association with Harvey." 
 
 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS REQUESTED: IF HIGHEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME BECOMES DANGEROUS...GET ON THE ROOF. #houwx #glswx #txwx #Harvey pic.twitter.com/rG3dsdQUxu 
 
 The National Weather Service Houston/Galveston said Emergency Management officials are requesting that people get on the roof of their home if the highest floor becomes dangerous. 
 
 In Houston, authorities were pleading with people not to leave their homes as a flood emergency was declared. 
 
 The U.S. Coast Guard says it has received more than 300 requests for urban search and rescue in the Houston area amid flooding from Harvey. The Coast Guard has five helicopters working the emergency calls and is asking for additional helicopters from New Orleans to help. 
 
 Great coordination between agencies at all levels of government. Continuing rains and flash floods are being dealt with. Thousands rescued. 
 
 "Great coordination between agencies at all levels of government," he tweeted Sunday morning. "Continuing rains and flash floods are being dealt with. Thousands rescued." 
 
 Mr. Trump has sent a flurry of tweets about the powerful storm, and has complimented the government's response to it so far. 
 
 I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety. 
 
 President Donald Trump said in a tweet he will travel to Texas "as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption." He added: "The focus must be life and safety." 
 
 "We're very appreciative of our fellow states as well as what the federal government has done," Abbott said. "I gotta tell you the Trump administration has provided us everything that we need ." 
 
 Abbott also applauded the efforts of the Trump administration. 
 
 "And so we are working on as many water rescues as we possibly can and trying to find ways to get people out of harm's way," Abbott said on "Face the Nation" Sunday, as catastrophic flooding hit Houston. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said "our first and foremost focus at this particular time is saving lives." 
 
 Houston Assistant Police Chief Larry Satterwhite said there has been an increase in calls from residents with flooded homes in the city's northeast, southeast and southwest sections. 
 
 Pena said his agency has made more than 250 water rescues, all of them people in vehicles, during a three-hour period overnight. 
 
 Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said that since midnight his agency has responded to more than 2,500 emergency calls and another 1,000 calls were waiting to be serviced. 
 
 All commercial operations at Hobby Airport have ceased until further notice. No flights in/out and roadways in/out are closed. 
 
 Commercial operations have ceased at both George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston until further notice "due to severe weather," an alert said Sunday. "No inbound or outbound flights from either airport at this time. For flight details, rescheduling and waivers, please contact your air carrier." 
 
 This event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced. Follow orders from officials to ensure safety. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/IjpWLey1h8 
 
 "This event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced," the National Weather Service tweeted Sunday. "Follow orders from officials to ensure safety." 
 
 Rainfall totals since Thursday evening have reached about 25 inches in south Houston. In Dayton, located 38 miles northeast of Houston, rainfall has already reached 27 inches. 
 
 The NWS says in a statement that "the breadth and intensity of this rainfall is beyond anything experienced before and is resulting in catastrophic flooding." 
 
 "We're in kind of unprecedented territory with this storm," Burke said. 
 
 NWS meteorologist Patrick Burke said rainfall totals will end up around 40 inches or more for Houston on average, but some isolated spots will see 50 inches or more. 
 
 The National Weather Service said some parts of Houston and areas just west of the city could get 50 inches of rain as Tropical Storm Harvey stalls over the state. It would be the highest ever recorded in Texas. 
 
 A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Louisiana and Texas until 2 AM CDT pic.twitter.com/U07kpmb05G 
 
 The agency has also been tweeting a series of tornado warnings for locations in Texas, including Humble, Moonshine Hill and Kingwood, among other areas. 
 
 The National Weather Service in Houston issued a tornado watch for parts of Texas and Louisiana. It said the watch is valid until 2 a.m. CT Monday. The alert warned of possible tornadoes, marble-sized hail and isolated winds up to 60 mph. 
 
 Do you have a HIGH WATER VEHICLE or BOAT and helping rescue in your community? Call us to coordinate: 713-881-3100. Ask for Fire Marshal. pic.twitter.com/D3SfSYWgxr 
 
 "Do you have a HIGH WATER VEHICLE or BOAT and helping rescue in your community? Call us to coordinate: 713-881-3100. Ask for Fire Marshal," officials wrote on Twitter. 
 
 Harris County officials are asking the public to volunteer high-water vehicles and boats to help rescue efforts in the area. 
 
 Regional distribution centers would be set up Monday for food distribution purposes in Rockport, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Ingleside and Portland. 
 
 Abbott said that helicopters and additional resources have been provided by Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, California, Missouri, Ohio, Arizona and New York, in addition to the federal government. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news conference Sunday that 3,000 national and state guard members were activated as a result of Tropical Storm Harvey. He said there are now 250 highway closures across the state. 
 
 Been sleeping after being up all nite but here's some more perspective on #HoustonFlooding problem. This is near galleria. #khou11 #Harvey pic.twitter.com/JyhRWnLVdf 
 
 Videos posted online Sunday showed flooding that resulted from Harvey after it dumped massive amounts of rain on southeast Texas. 
 
 Houston needs our prayers! Our TV station is evacuated. Headed back out in the field to help us get back on the air #Harvey #KHOU11 🙏 pic.twitter.com/roq8Q6xlZN 
 
 Rainfall totals climbed by the hour. Since Thursday, South Houston had received nearly 25 inches and the suburbs of Santa Fe and Dayton got 27 inches. 
 
 Staff at CBS affiliate KHOU-TV, broadcasting live coverage of the floods, had to evacuate after water started to gush into the building. The anchors and news operations at the station moved first to a second floor before finally abandoning the station. 
 
 "We are coordinating logistics with state and local officials, and once details are finalized, we will let you know. We continue to keep all of those affected in our thoughts and prayers," Sanders said in a statement. 
 
 White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump will travel to Texas on Tuesday. 
 
 It warned that flying drones without authorization may violate federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. "Allow first responders to save lives and property without interference," the FAA said in a statement. 
 
 #Harvey Info: The #FAA does not want you to fly #drones in the aftermath of #Harvey . Allow 1st responders to work. https://t.co/rN9b6GgxhX pic.twitter.com/DFOq1R1Hio 
 
 "The FAA warns unauthorized drone operators that they may be subject to significant fines if they interfere with emergency response operations," the FAA said in a statement . 
 
 The Federal Aviation Administration is asking people not to fly drones over areas affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 Rosenberg police did not immediately provide additional details on the sinkhole, other than urging drivers to avoid the area. 
 
 Water could be seen filling the sinkhole as pieces of highway asphalt hung from the edge of the damaged roadway. 
 
 The 3900 block of FM 762 (in front of 24 HR fitness) has just collapsed. There is a massive sinkhole in the roadway. AVOID THE AREA! #Harvey pic.twitter.com/BJreUS1D9C 
 
 Rosenberg police on Sunday tweeted a photo of the gaping hole that spread across more than half of a two-lane highway -- Farm-to-Market 762. 
 
 Police say a sinkhole has opened on a Texas highway about 25 miles southwest of Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey dumps more rain on the region. 
 
 McLeod says the evacuations won't start until the water recedes from around the facility and will likely take several days. The hospital is part of the Texas Medical Center, and has 350 patients. 
 
 McLeod says the flooding resulted in only a small amount of water in the basement and did not affect the hospital's power supply. But shutting down the kitchen leaves the hospital with a limited supply of dry food for patients. 
 
 Bryan McLeod, a spokesman for Harris Health System, said Sunday that minor flooding in the basement of Ben Taub Hospital and a busted sewer pipe forced officials to close the kitchen. 
 
 The evacuation of Houston's main public hospital hasn't begun yet because it is surrounded by waist-deep water as a result of Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 "Many in our HISD family will be dealing with the task of cleaning up the damage Harvey left behind. As a result, all HISD schools and district administrative offices will be closed all week." 
 
 The Houston Independent School District announced Sunday that all schools will be closed from Monday, August 28 through Friday, September 1, due to damage from Tropical Storm Harvey. The district said in a statement that schools and offices are expected to reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 5. 
 
 The State has requested we prepare to open our Mega Shelter to receive coastal guests. The City plans to open it by Tuesday morning. 
 
 The city opened a third smaller shelter about 4:30 p.m. Sunday. About 415 evacuees are staying at the two other shelters, where they will remain for the time being. 
 
 The city, Red Cross, Dallas County, Parkland Hospital, the Salvation Army, Children's Hospital and other volunteer groups are coordinating the logistics of getting the shelter ready. 
 
 City Office of Emergency Management Director Rocky Vaz says the state made a formal request to open the convention center, which should be ready by early Tuesday morning. 
 
 Officials say the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center will open to evacuees on Tuesday morning. Dallas has three shelters currently open for evacuees, but the convention center will serve as a "mega shelter." 
 
 Dallas officials say they'll open the city's convention center to about 5,000 people who are fleeing the southern part of the state. 
 
 The city of Houston opened the convention center Sunday to people fleeing the flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 Asked if he wishes he'd have evacuated, Cain laughed and walked away. He said: "That's a no-brainer, brother." 
 
 William Cain says the water outside their home was in some spots several feet high. He says, "I live in a lake where there was once dry land." Water had started to come into their apartment, and they had already lost power. 
 
 She suffers from congestive heart failure - when the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal - and other illnesses. Her son, William, and 9-year-old grandson were waiting for her inside. Both were barefoot as well. 
 
 Patricia Cain entered the George R. Brown Convention Center barefoot and carrying two oxygen tanks. The first was empty. The second was given to her by the Houston Fire Department after the U.S. Coast Guard rescued her from her home. 
 
 The NFL's Houston Texans flew to Dallas after their preseason game Saturday in New Orleans instead of returning home and have said they'll stay there until conditions improve enough for them to come back to Houston. They'll practice at the suburban practice facility of the Cowboys on Monday and said they will provide details on their schedule for the rest of the week later. 
 
 The Rangers had been scheduled to head to Houston after playing Oakland to await the start of a three-game series with the Astros beginning Tuesday. Instead, they'll return to Dallas to await word on its status. The Astros are in Anaheim and also will fly to Dallas while a decision is made on when and where the series will be played. 
 
 The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers won't travel to Houston as planned after their games Sunday in California because of torrential floodwaters that have engulfed the city. 
 
 Thank you to all the first responders and people helping each other out. That's what we do as Americans. Here's one way you can help now. https://t.co/iGfE8rAoAu 
 
 Former President Barack Obama thanked first responders in Houston as the city was slammed with flood water Sunday. Mr. Obama tweeted a link to the American Red Cross, saying, "Here's one way you can help now." 
 
 "We were airlifting grandmothers and grandfathers," David Popoff of Dickinson County Emergency Management told The Daily News, who showed him the viral image. "These people have been evacuated." 
 
 Eighteen people were rescued, including 15 seniors, from the La Vita Bella living facility, a city official told The Galveston County Daily News . 
 
 Residents of a nursing home in Dickinson, Texas, were evacuated Sunday after a viral image showed them sitting in waist-deep flood waters . 
 
 Henry is appealing for volunteers to help staff rescue shelters and see to the needs of the 2,000 to 10,000 people that have sheltered in them. He says he appealed for state and federal help mid-morning Sunday, adding "we have gotten some help, but we still need more." 
 
 Henry says about 90 percent of the county's rescue calls have come from Dickinson. An appeal had been made through social media for assistance by private boat owners and their vessels, and 25 to 35 owners responded. 
 
 The area hardest-hit by floods has been Dickinson, a low-lying city of about 20,000 residents along Dickinson Bayou, where crews had to lead to safety 19 residents and five staff members from an assisted-living center flooded with waist-deep water. 
 
 Galveston County Judge Mark Henry said Sunday that about 22 inches of rain has fallen on the coastal county so far with another 10 to 15 inches still expected. 
 
 A Galveston County official says Harvey has caused unprecedented flooding and 800 to 1,200 residents have had to be rescued. 
 
 Zetterstrom says the dams will impound water for one to three months as water is gradually released. He adds that some neighborhoods on the fringes of the reservoir are likely to see some floods. 
 
 Zetterstrom says the water contained by the dams is "unparalleled in the dams' history." The waters are rising about 4 inches per hour. 
 
 Downtown Houston is 17 miles downstream from the dams, which were built during the 1940s in response to a 1935 flood that inundated much of downtown area. 
 
 Col. Lars Zetterstrom is commander of the Galveston District of the Corps of Engineers. He says water will be released from the Barker Reservoir and Addicks Reservoir very slowly on Monday morning to prevent uncontrollable flooding of downtown Houston and the Houston Ship Channel. 
 
 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to begin releasing water into Buffalo Bayou from two flood-control dams on the western outskirts of the city. 
 
 "The decision that we made was a smart one. It was in the best interest of Houstonians. It was the right decision in terms of their safety... absolutely no regrets. We did what was the right thing to do," Turner said. 
 
 The mayor also defended his decision not to order an evacuation. 
 
 In addition, 35 boats and 93 dump trucks were being used by the city for high water rescues. 
 
 Turner said 22 aircrafts were working to help identify people stranded on roofs. Sixteen of those aircrafts are from U.S. Coast Guard. 
 
 Turner said that so far only one fatality has been confirmed -- a woman who died Saturday evening after getting out of her car when it drove into a flooded street. 
 
 Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that as of 5 p.m. on Sunday, Houston police and fire departments had received nearly 6,000 calls for rescues and had rescued more than 1,000 people. Many of these rescues were of people trapped on their roofs or in their attics. 
 
 On Sunday, videos emerged showing dramatic rescues by the coast guard. A number of rescues by boat took place, but Morgan reports there are still many people unaccounted for. 
 
 CBS News' DeMarco Morgan is in Dickinson, Texas, where he met one family who was rescued by boat. They live in a two-story home and one of the homeowners said the water level was up to her chest. She said all the furniture was just floating on the first floor as the family took refuge in the second story. 
 
 More video from the U.S. Coast Guard has been released showing rescues from their helicopter. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Houston rescued five people from floodwaters in a southeastern Houston neighborhood Sunday: 
 
 Dramatic video from @USCG shows some of the many rescue efforts underway in Texas https://t.co/WZP2arvuWh pic.twitter.com/Ex1D23BzvK 
 
 The clip shows a Coast Guard member airlifting various people (including a dog) into one of their aircraft. 
 
 The United States Coast Guard posted video online that showed various rescues Sunday from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 The Coast Guard says they assess each call of distress and that those in medical need take priority, according to Adm. Karl Schultz during a late Sunday press update. 
 
 They say that rescues have been done from bridges, rooftops, attics and they will continue to respond to calls. 
 
 Officials from the Coast Guard said that 19 helicopters have been deployed, 250 people have been rescued. 
 
 Officials say to call 911 if there is an immediate threat or 311 if you need help relocating from your home, but not in immediate danger. 
 
 If you see this do not share, KENS-TV writes. The number belongs to an insurance group and not the National Guard. If you are in danger and call this number you will not be rescued. 
 
 The station adds that the post reads, "The National Guard is being deployed to our Texas area. If you find yourself in a state of emergency. Call 1-800-527-3907. Please copy, paste or share!!!!!!!!!" 
 
 Despicable! Please share this story so no one affected by #Harvey who needs help/support/rescue is taken in by this scam https://t.co/c50wbWVGJn 
 
 A scam targeting victims of Tropical Storm Harvey posted on various social media sites has gone viral, CBS affiliate KENS-TV reports . 
 
 The hurricane center says Harvey's center was expected to drift off the middle Texas coast on Monday and meander offshore through Tuesday before beginning "a slow northeastward motion." 
 
 That means it remains virtually stalled near the coast and continues to drop heavy rain on the Houston and Galveston areas. In the past 48 hours, numerous spots in the region have measured more than 25 inches of rainfall. 
 
 In its 10 p.m. CDT advisory, the National Hurricane Center reports the storm still has sustained winds of up to 40 mph and is centered 20 miles east of Victoria, Texas, about 120 miles southwest of Houston. It continues to creep to the east-southeast at 3 mph. 
 
 Tropical Storm Harvey continues to head back toward the Gulf of Mexico at a slow pace. 
 
 3:35 a.m.: Houston rainfall totals eclipse 500-year rain level mark 
 
 Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted that the rainfall totals in three hours had eclipsed the 500-year rain level mark. 
 
 Rainfall totals over the last 3 hours have eclipsed the 500 year rain level mark. #Harvey — Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) August 27, 2017 
 
 Harris County Flood Control District meteorologist Jeff Linder tweeted there have been calls of people climbing into their attics due to floodwaters. According to Linder, 13-14 inches of rain fell in three hours. 
 
 Calls to HCFCD of people climbing into their attics. Flooding in SE Harris County is equal to or greater than TS Allison #houwx — Jeff Lindner (@JeffLindner1) August 27, 2017 
 
 Life threatening flash flooding across the Harris County. 13-14 inches in 3 hrs — Jeff Lindner (@JeffLindner1) August 27, 2017 
 
 The National Weather Service said Houston is in a catastrophic, life-threatening flash flood emergency. The flash flood emergency will last until 7 a.m. 
 
 1:50 a.m.: Fatality is confirmed from flooding in Houston 
 
 A motorist died Saturday after being stranded in the floodwaters from Harvey, County Judge Ed Emmett told CBS affiliate KHOU. 
 
 KHOU reports the woman tried to get out of her car but didn't make it. A neighbor found her body. 
 
 Cars sit abandoned at a flooded gas station after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas Gulf coast and brought heavy rain to the region, in Houston, Texas, U.S. August 26, 2017. NICK OXFORD / REUTERS 
 
 Several major Houston roadways are underwater. 
 
 Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said the streets are "treacherous." 
 
 11:35 p.m.: Flash flood emergency declared in Houston's Harris County 
 
 A flash flood emergency is in effect for Harris County, meaning life-threatening flooding is possible, CBS affiliate KHOU reports. 
 
 "We're seeing just incredible rainfall rights right now in the heart of Houston," said Jeff Lindner with the Harris County Flood Control District. 
 
 The Harris County Sheriff's office tweeted that a man had been rescued from his car in three feet of rushing water. 
 
 HCSO deputies rescued one male driver in 3 feet of rushing water in west Harris County — Saums Rd. & Park View Dr. pic.twitter.com/i51U6jcT42 — HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) August 27, 2017 
 
 Most areas have seen more than 2 inches in the last hour, according to KHOU. 
 
 They've had more than 4 inches in the last hour in the Meyerland area and there is a threat of water in homes there, Lindner said. 
 
 The Houston Office of Emergency Management tweeted that the Red Cross shelter is closing due to high water. The METRO Houston has suspended all bus and rail service. 
 
 The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office is also reporting tornado sightings in Stafford, Missouri City and near US 90 and the Texas Parkway. 
 
 Tornados have already caused damage in Cypress, Sienna Plantation, Katy, Richmond and Atascocita. 
 
 9:40 p.m.: Coast Guard launches helicopter rescue 
 
 The Coast Guard said Saturday that it was responding to a call of seven distressed people in Aransas Pass, Texas. 
 
 The Coast Guard said it received the call at about 7 p.m. central time of seven people, one of which is reportedly on oxygen and had run out, in need of assistance. 
 
 The Coast Guard said its Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews rescued in total 20 people and a dog after they received reports from watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Saturday morning and afternoon. 
 
 7:50 p.m.: "Biggest concern" is the 20-30 inches of rain, Texas Gov. says 
 
 More than a foot-and-a-half of rain fell in just 24 hours in Victoria, Texas -- and by the time the storm is over, the city could get in only days the amount of rain it sees in one year, CBS News' Manuel Bojorquez reports. 
 
 Rain from Harvey not nearly finished 
 
 "Our biggest concern is the possibility of between 20 and 30 inches of rain in areas ranging from Corpus Christi over to Houston," said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. "Because of the flooding, one of the top focal points that we are concerned about is ongoing rescue and recovery." 
 
 Angela and Mario Manzano are checking on the home they recently purchased. 
 
 "It's devastating because like I said, we're barely purchasing the home, we're still paying it off, to lose it now, it's going to be hard," Angela said. 
 
 Their home is in a low-lying area prone to flooding. 
 
 "If it was just the two of us, it would be different, but having our kids, that why we took, we just took the most important things -- our important documents and pictures that can't be replaced and that stuff," Angela said. 
 
 7:30 p.m.: Inside Rockport, the city in the eye of Harvey 
 
 
 
 Inside the city directly hit by Harvey 
 
 Ferocious winds and floodwater have left this quaint city on the gulf a disaster zone, CBS News' David Begnaud reports. Parts of the high school were torn to shreds. Harvey showed no mercy on the local First Baptist church. Some homes have collapsed into the water. 
 
 "We went upstairs and looked out the window and down the road here it was a sheer wall of water, like 100 mph it was crazy," said Tim Freiburger. His garage was lifted up and jammed against the side of the house. 
 
 "It was insane all you could do was just feel stuff pounding the house," he said. 
 
 Residents of this senior living complex were stranded when portions of its roof torn away and emergency workers were unable to respond at the height of the storm. 
 
 Nearly every police car in town has been damaged, but still officers were out Saturday, banging on doors, making sure no one was trapped. 
 
 When the hurricane made landfall here late Friday night, the city was under a mandatory evacuation. 
 
 "I'll take a while to get it all straightened backup," said Randy Bonnett, who has been through Texas hurricanes before but he says he will not forget Harvey. 
 
 "You got three hours of hell and then an hour lull and then three hours hell," Bonnett said. 
 
 7:10 p.m.: Millions in danger of potentially catastrophic flooding 
 
 
 
 Harvey churns over southeast Texas 
 
 Harvey is still going and it's not going anywhere for awhile, CBS News' DeMarco Morgan reports. There are over 1,000 people assigned to search and rescue operations. Near Corpus Christi on Saturday, the Coast Guard rescued 17 people whose vessels were in distress. The governor of Texas has issued a disaster declaration for 50 counties. Saturday morning, Galveston got pounded. 
 
 With the storm stalling out, now millions are in danger of potentially catastrophic flooding. More than three feet of rain could fall in some places. 
 
 "We are just getting into this so people need to understand that the longevity of this is gonna go thru the weekend and even into the early part of next week," said Jeff Linder with the Harris County Flood Control in Houston. 
 
 Nearly 300,000 power outages have been reported and Corpus Christi is under a boil water order. Incredibly, no fatalities have been reported yet. In Rockport, where the storm took a direct hit, ten people were injured when the roof of a senior housing complex collapsed, according to local media reports. Hundreds of people were evacuated from a hotel there last night. 
 
 5:34 p.m.: White House releases photos of President Trump on teleconference call earlier Saturday 
 
 The White House said President Trump was briefed on the response to Harvey at Camp David, where he's spending the weekend. 
 
 President Trump hosts a teleconference on Hurricane Harvey, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017. Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead 
 
 
 
 
 
 President Trump hosts a teleconference on Hurricane Harvey, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017. Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead 
 
 
 
 
 
 4:11 p.m.: Coast Guard rescues 17 people 
 
 
 
 Coast Guard rescues 17 in Texas 
 
 The Coast Guard says it has rescued 15 people onboard vessels near Port Aransas, Texas. Two Coast Guard helicopters were dispatched to help the ships earlier Saturday after receiving distress calls. 
 
 The Coast Guard said in a release that seven people were rescued from the tugboat Sabine; four people from the Signet Enterprise; and four from the vessel Sandy Point. 
 
 A man and a woman were also rescued in Houston, along with their dog. Read the full story here. 
 
 3:47 p.m.: President Trump thanks volunteers 
 
 THANK YOU to all of the great volunteers helping out with #HurricaneHarvey relief in Texas! https://t.co/Ds95oSgo8f — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017 
 
 3:31 p.m.: Harvey shuts down one-fifth of U.S. oil production 
 
 About one-third of the America's refining capacity reside in low-lying areas on the coast from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Lake Charles, Louisiana, the Associated Press reports. 
 
 The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said Friday that workers were evacuated from 86 of 737 manned oil production platforms where oil and gas are pumped from the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 The agency estimated that approximately 21.55 percent of oil production had been shut down along with 23.24 percent of natural gas production. 
 
 The AP reports, citing FlightAware, that nearly 1,200 flights were cancelled on Friday and Saturday, and an additional 485 flights for Sunday were cancelled. 
 
 2:27 p.m. President Trump receives update from cabinet officials 
 
 President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence met with cabinet members and senior administration officials via video teleconference Saturday about the hurricane, according to a White House readout of the meeting. Mr. Trump expressed that all departments and agencies involved should stay focused on saving lives, the White House said. 
 
 Mr. Trump, who had been receiving updates from his chief of staff John Kelly Friday night and Saturday morning, directed his team to support the governors of Texas and Louisiana. Mr. Trump on Friday night signed a disaster declaration for the state of Texas at Gov. Greg Abbott's request. The declaration frees up federal resources to alleviate affected localities. 
 
 2:18 p.m.: Texas governor: No confirmation of fatalities; 338,000 without power 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he could not confirm any fatalities from now-Tropical Storm Harvey. He says 338,000 customers are without power and service might not be restored for several days. 
 
 Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference about Hurricane Harvey at the State Operations Center in Austin, Texas, on Fri., Aug. 25, 2017. AP 
 
 2:15 p.m.: Hotel taxes suspended for evacuees 
 
 Evacuees from areas affected by Harvey as well as first responders will be able to stay in hotels tax-free, Abbott says. He said he has waived the state's surcharge in a proclamation. 
 
 Abbott said about 1,500 evacuees are currently staying at Texas state park facilities. Nearly 1,500 more are staying in 21 Red Cross shelters and 42 more shelters are standing by to accept more evacuees. More than 200 buses have been deployed to transport residents, Abbott said. 
 
 2:13 p.m. 1,000 people involved in search and rescue operations 
 
 Abbott says 1,000 workers are focused on search and rescue operations, which he said "will be one of the foremost tasks that we take in the coming days." 
 
 Search and rescue "will be one of the foremost tasks that we take in the coming days," Gov. Abbott says https://t.co/8YHzAJZ5CQ pic.twitter.com/xh7822hmG8 — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 26, 2017 
 
 2:10 p.m.: 1,800 service members to assist in recovery in Texas 
 
 Abbott says 1,300 Texas service members are already assisting in recovery and search and rescue efforts, with another 500 to be activated soon. 
 
 2:06 p.m.: Abbott says state concerned about 20 to 30 more inches of rain 
 
 "Turn around. Don't drown," the governor said. He says flooding is still a major concern. 
 
 "Now that the hurricane has come on shore our primary concern remains dramatic flooding," Abbott said. Abbott said about 20 inches of rain has already fallen in Corpus Christi and about 16 inches in Houston. 
 
 2:05 p.m.: Texas governor gives update on Harvey 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is providing an update on Harvey from Austin, Texas. You can watch on CBSN at the top of this post. 
 
 1:50 p.m. Harvey downgraded to tropical storm 
 
 Harvey is now a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) says in its latest release. 
 
 Winds have slowed to 70 mph, down from a peak of 130 mph when Harvey made landfall late Friday. The storm is now located 45 miles north-northwest of Victoria, Texas, and moving at 2 mph. 
 
 But Texas isn't out of the woods yet. The NHC adds that an "extremely serious flooding event is unfolding" as the storm continues to drench the area in rain. Some areas have seen rainfall of up to 3 inches per hour at times. The threat of storm surge continues to threaten low-lying areas, as well. 
 
 1:39 p.m.: Texas attorney general warns against price gouging 
 
 Texas attorney general says Harvey is "probably the biggest storm in [Texas] history" 
 
 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined CBSN to discuss Harvey, and warned potential price gougers from taking advantage of residents as flooding continues. 
 
 "Under Texas law, you're not allowed to massively increase your prices by more than 10 percent, [that's] the approximate number, when there's some type of crisis or catastrophe," Paxton said. "There's significant fines for that, up to $20,000 per incident. If you're doing that to somebody over 65, it could be up to $250,000." 
 
 Paxton said his office has received over 200 calls about potential price gouging. He said investigators have looked into instances of alleged price gougers charging nearly $100 for a case of water. 
 
 12:45 p.m.: Texas evacuates prisoners threatened by flooding 
 
 
 
 The Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced Saturday three prisons would be evacuated in Brazoria County, just south of Houston, as rainfall from Hurricane Harvey slams the area. 
 
 In a news release, the department said approximately 4,500 inmates will be evacuated beginning Saturday morning. 
 
 "These evacuated offenders will not be available for visits at the designated receiving units, but will have the ability to use the offender telephone system," the statement said. "Additional food and water has been delivered to the prisons receiving the displaced inmates."11:59 a.m.: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warns of "ongoing danger" from flooding. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on the state's response to Hurricane Harvey 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday said ongoing flooding in the wake of Harvey poses the greatest danger in the days ahead, as rescue efforts are already underway in the southeast part of the state. 
 
 The Republican governor told CBSN that the hurricane, which made landfall late Friday night as a Category 4 storm but has since been downgraded to Category 1, has caused "great devastation." As it moves slowly and unleashes devastating amounts of rain on the Texas coastline, Abbott says flooding is the greatest concern. Read the full story here. 
 
 11:32 a.m.: Mayor of Rockport, Texas, details "widespread damage" 
 
 Rockport, Texas, suffers "widespread damage" from Harvey, mayor says 
 
 The mayor of Rockport, Texas, says the town has suffered "widespread damage" from Hurricane Harvey as the storm continues to dump rain across southeast Texas. Mayor Charlie Wax joined CBSN to discuss the situation in Rockport, one of the towns hardest hit by the storm. 
 
 "Our high school is damaged. One of our learning centers is also damaged. We have businesses that are destroyed, we have homes that have been destroyed, and at the very least lives are disrupted," Wax said. 
 
 The mayor said, as of Saturday morning, there were no confirmation of any deaths, but said it was likely because the response teams haven't been able to survey the town completely. 
 
 He also warned residents to "stay in place," adding that it wasn't safe to return home. 
 
 "Stay in place, protect yourself. If you did evacuate, do not even attempt to go back," he said. "Stay away, let the first responders do their job." 
 
 10:55 a.m.: Harvey expected to weaken to tropical storm this afternoon 
 
 Catastrophic flooding predicted over the coming days 
 
 The National Hurricane Center says Harvey remains a Category 1 hurricane as wind speeds remain at 75 mph. The threat for serious flooding will continue for several days as the storm continues to move slowly over inland Texas. 
 
 In its latest advisory, the NHC says "torrential rains will continue for a few more days." The center says Harvey should become a tropical storm sometime Saturday afternoon. 
 
 Harvey made landfall late Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 130 mph. It has slowed overnight but will continue to pull in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and could still move back out over water. 
 
 10:28 a.m.: NASA animation of satellite data shows rainfall upon making land 
 
 @NASA's GPM satellite analyzed Hurricane Harvey's rainfall as it made landfall in Texas: https://t.co/OGW4LLZvd5 pic.twitter.com/eWF3cHVL1N — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 26, 2017 
 
 10:25 a.m.: Houston airport lifts ground stop on incoming flights 
 
 Flights are beginning to land again at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport following an earlier ground stop on incoming flights. The airport said 225 flights have been canceled so far. 
 
 IB ground stop has been lifted, and aircraft are now beginning to land. Get the latest at https://t.co/9gZJSkXIjn #fly2houston — Houston Bush Airport (@iah) August 26, 2017 
 
 10:11 a.m.: Coast Guard responds to mayday calls 
 
 The Coast Guard says it is responding to tugboats in distress near Port Aransas, Texas. 
 
 In a statement, the Coast Guard says its Corpus Christi sector received mayday calls from the boats Belle Chase, Sandy Point and Sabine Pass near the Lydia Ann Channel. It has dispatched two MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews to the scene. 
 
 10:05 a.m.: Wind speeds slow to 75 mph 
 
 The National Hurricane Center says in an advisory that sustained wind speeds have decreased slightly to 75 mph. The storm remains a Category 1 hurricane. 
 
 Harvey's center is now about 25 miles west of Victoria, Texas, moving at 6 mph. 
 
 9:20 a.m.: More than 16 inches of rain have fallen in Victoria, Texas 
 
 Hurricane Harvey slams the Gulf Coast 
 
 CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez joined CBSN from Victoria, Texas, with an update from the heart of the storm. Speaking from his hotel as Harvey's eyewall whipped palm trees in the background, Bojorquez reports Victoria has received more than 16 inches of rain in the past 24 hours. 
 
 His hotel began swaying in the wind early Saturday morning. The roof of a car dealership behind the hotel began flapping in the heavy winds, indicating the likelihood of extensive structural damage as Harvey swirls over Texas. 
 
 "The big concern is not only all this wind, but of course all of this rain," Bojorquez reports. "They're not expecting just inches of rain here. They are expecting to get up to 2.5 feet. And so the major flooding that will happen as a result of this hurricane is something that they will deal with for days to come here." 
 
 9:12 a.m.: Michio Kaku says "agony has just begun" 
 
 Michio Kaku on Hurricane Harvey: "Agony has just begun" 
 
 CBS News science contributor Michio Kaku joined "CBS This Morning: Saturday" to discuss the science behind Harvey and why it will continue to cause damage for days. 
 
 "First of all, if it lingers over the land, it could cause massive flooding. And then, watch out," he said. "If it goes back into the Gulf, it could get reenergized and create a second, even a third landfall. And so the agony has just begun with this hurricane of the decade." 
 
 8:55 a.m.: Power outages now affect more than 255,000 customers in Texas 
 
 More than a quarter-million customers are without power in Texas early Saturday after Hurricane Harvey made landfall. Utilities are reporting outages affecting more than 255,000 customers. 
 
 AEP reported more than 192,000 customers without power as of early Saturday. CenterPoint Energy reported nearly 58,000 customers without power. 
 
 Outages were also reported by Austin Energy, CPS, Entergy and Oncor. Read the full story here. 
 
 8:35 a.m.: Latest forecast as Harvey settles over Texas 
 
 Hurricane Harvey forecast: Weakening winds, days of rain to come 
 
 Texans are facing days of rain as Hurricane Harvey settles in. Meteorologist Megan Glaros joined "CBS This Morning: Saturday" with the latest forecast at the top of the hour. 
 
 The system continues to weaken in terms of wind speed, but it continues to pull in moisture from warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Winds have decreased to 80 mph and the storm continues to move at a sluggish 6 mph, which will continue for the next few days. 
 
 In Victoria, Texas, more than 16 inches of rain has fallen. McFaddin and Austwell have received just under 12 inches, and Edna and Sugar Land about 9 inches. Total rainfall could total more than 40 inches in places over the coming days. 
 
 7:25 a.m.: President Trump says he is "closely monitoring" storm, FEMA director doing "great job" 
 
 Closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David. We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs. working great together! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017 
 
 You are doing a great job - the world is watching! Be safe. https://t.co/PJLdxy3hD9 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017 
 
 6:15 a.m.: Category 1, with maximum winds near 90 mph 
 
 Hurricane Harvey became a Category 1 storm with top wind speeds near 90 mph, the National Hurricane Center reported. Tide gauges near Port Lavaca, Texas, recorded water levels more than 6.5 feet higher than normal. 
 
 Craig "Cajun" Uggen, 57, nearly floods his truck as Hurricane Harvey comes ashore in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Fri., Aug. 25, 2017. Minutes later, high winds blew off the camper carrying all of his belongings. Reuters 
 
 5 a.m.: From Category 3 to Category 2 
 
 The National Hurricane Center downgraded Hurricane Harvey to a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph. Harvey is likely to become a tropical storm later today as it moves further inland, predicted NHC forecasters who also warned of "catastrophic flooding over the next few days due to heavy rainfall." 
 
 4:30 a.m.: Emergency crews in limbo 
 
 Many emergency crews were unable to make rescues early Saturday because of Harvey's strong winds. Melissa Munguia, the deputy emergency management coordinator in Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, said early Saturday that it could be several more hours before crews could fully assess the damage in coastal communities. 
 
 Corpus Christi, Texas. Reuters 
 
 3:40 a.m.: More than 211,000 homes and businesses lose power 
 
 More than 211,000 customers were without power on the Texas Gulf Coast due to effects from Hurricane Harvey, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported. The storm was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane early Saturday morning, as Harvey's maximum sustained winds decreased to nearly 125 mph. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours while the center of Harvey is over southeastern Texas. 
 
 2:30 a.m.: Homeowner shoots intruder, cops say 
 
 A homeowner shot an alleged intruder in Corpus Christi just as Hurricane Harvey was making landfall late Friday night, Corpus Christi police said. Read the full story here on CBSNews.com. 
 
 The victim was taken to a local hospital, and was coherent when police arrived on scene, Corpus Christi police tweeted. According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, the victim was shot in the head. 
 
 Update on shooting @ 7100 Ficus Ct. homeowner shot intruder. Victim @ Hosp. with gunshot wound was coherent when medics took him. PIO Pace — Corpus Christi PD (@CorpusChristiPD) August 26, 2017 
 
 1:45 a.m.: "Boil water," Corpus Christi residents told 
 
 In Corpus Christi, the major city closest to the center of the storm, wind whipped palm trees and stinging sheets of horizontal rain slapped against hotels and office buildings along the city's seawall as the storm made landfall. Boats bobbed violently in the marina. It was too dark to tell whether any boats had broken their moorings. 
 
 City officials notified residents to "boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc)" to kill all potentially harmful bacteria and other microbes. "Water for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes." 
 
 1:15 a.m.: Early details emerge from Rockport 
 
 Rockport, Texas, a coastal city of about 10,000 people some 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, was directly in the path of Harvey when it came ashore. The city had peak wind surges of more than 125 mph, according to the National Weather Service. 
 
 Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Sims said there were about 15 firefighters at the city's fire station waiting for conditions to improve enough for their vehicles to safely respond to pleas for help. "There's nothing we can do at this moment. We are anxious to get out there and make assessments, but we're hunkered down for now," Sims said, according to an Associated Press report. 
 
 Fire Department spokeswoman Gillian Cox told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that the roof of Rockport's high school has partially caved in. But Cox says social media posts that the school has "disappeared" are inaccurate. 
 
 Rockport City Manager Kevin Carruth told the newspaper that the courthouse also sustained major damage. Carruth said a cargo trailer was halfway in the building. 
 
 Earlier Friday, Rockport Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Rios offered ominous advice, telling a local TV station that those who chose to stay put "should make some type of preparation to mark their arm with a Sharpie pen," implying doing so would make it easier for rescuers to identify them. 
 
 When I reported people in Rockport, TX were being told to write their social security # on their arms, people tweeted me it was ridiculous. https://t.co/BkVhUJsGz6 — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) August 26, 2017 
 
 12:30 a.m.: Facebook activates "Safety Check" feature 
 
 Facebook has activated its Safety Check feature for Hurricane Harvey, allowing Facebook users to inform friends and family of their whereabouts during the weather emergency. 
 
 Facebook users can also find the feature on their smartphone apps. As CBSNews.com sibling site CNET explains: "Safety Check is now integrated into the mobile apps, meaning you can manually notify friends of your status as well as follow crises worldwide and even offer support. The only trick is finding it. When Facebook does a server-side activation, you'll usually see a notification right at the top of the app. But if you want to access the feature yourself, it requires a bit of menu-diving." 
 
 Here's a primer from CNET on how to find the feature on Android devices and iPhones. 
 
 12:00 a.m.: Roof collapses at senior housing complex 
 
 Several residents are trapped inside a senior housing complex in Rockport, Texas, where a roof collapsed, a city manager confirmed to CBS News. 
 
 City manager in Rockport, TX tells CBS News people trapped inside of senior housing complex where roof collapsed; rescuers unable to get in — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) August 26, 2017 
 
 A couple is trapped in a mobile home in Rockport after a tree fell on it, according to Rockport City Manager Kevin Carruth. 
 
 More than 32,000 homes and businesses have lost power in Corpus Christi, CBS affiliate KZTV reports. The city of Corpus Christi has issued a precautionary water boil advisory. 
 
 The City of Corpus Christi.. yeah, I'd say we lost some power. #hurricaneharvey 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/CAO8hy3oCl — Marisol Gonzalez (@MarisolKZTV) August 26, 2017 
 
 Large shipping boats in Port Aransas have broken away from their moorings, leading to significant damage, KZTV reports. 
 
 Storm surges up to 13 feet are predicted in some places with up to 40 inches of rain over several days. The National Weather Service warns some residents may not be able to return to their homes for weeks or months. 
 
 Friday 
 
 11:05 p.m.: Harvey makes landfall 
 
 The eye of Harvey made landfall just after 11 p.m. between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds, the National Weather Service said. 
 
 #Harvey made landfall at 10 PM CDT as a category 4 hurricane near Rockport, Texas, with max winds of 130 mph and min pressure of 938 mb. pic.twitter.com/98y5wpKmBw — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 26, 2017 
 
 9:51 p.m.: President Trump signs disaster proclamation 
 
 President Trump tweeted shortly before 10 p.m. that he had signed a disaster proclamation, which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said earlier Friday he had requested. The disaster proclamation will allow federal funds to flow into state and local relief efforts. 
 
 According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm is expected to make landfall "very soon." 
 
 Eye of Category 4 #Harvey almost onshore in Texas. Hurricane force winds reported at many observing stations. Landfall expected very soon. pic.twitter.com/JZ4tE1Bvbx — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 26, 2017 
 
 8:20 p.m.: Evacuees seek refuge in San Antonio 
 
 Hundreds of evacuees seeking shelter from Hurricane Harvey arrived in San Antonio on Friday, CBS affiliate KENS-TV reports. 
 
 Two shelters opened their doors Friday morning, and city officials announced they would make room for at least 6,000 evacuees. 
 
 "I get deep anxiety when it comes to stuff like this," Justine Vela of Corpus Christi told the station. Vela packed up her four children and left for San Antonio. 
 
 "My kids don't kinda know what's going on because they are little," she said. "I'm trying to keep them calm and safe. This is the best place for us to be right now." 
 
 7:45 p.m.: Trump prepares to face first major natural disaster as president 
 
 Trump prepares for first major natural disaster as president 
 
 Hurricane Harvey will be the first major natural disaster of President Trump's administration. The White House is saying FEMA has changed since the organization's dismal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, CBS News' chief White House correspondent Major Garrett reports. 
 
 The failures of Katrina haunt emergency planners to this day, so much so, White House Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert felt compelled to say "now is not the time to lose faith in your government institutions." 
 
 "All the mayors and governors saw what happened at Katrina and they're not gonna let that happen," says David Paulison, who headed FEMA after Katrina and until 2009. He says that Katrina changed management procedures. 
 
 "Before we waited for the local community to become overwhelmed before the state stepped in, and waited for the state to become overwhelmed before the federal government stepped in," Paulison tells Garrett. 
 
 7:40 p.m.: FEMA urges residents to follow future orders 
 
 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials are encouraging residents and visitors in Hurricane Harvey's path to follow directions from local and state officials. 
 
 "I encourage residents who will be affected to follow directions from their local officials," Administrator Brock Long said in a statement. "Know your threats, heed the warnings, and if you're in the path of the storm, ensure your family is prepared for possible prolonged disruptions to normal services." 
 
 The agency has set up bases near Seguin, Texas, and areas closer to the storm's path to store supplies including more than 96,000 liters of water, 306,000 meals and 4,500 tarps and blankets, the Associated Press reports. State and local officials will be responsible for distributing the materials as needed. 
 
 7:20 p.m.: 20-30 inches of rain expected in Victoria, Texas 
 
 Hurricane Harvey could dump feet of rain in Texas 
 
 Victoria, Texas, is about 20 miles from the coast, but the distance is not expected to shield it from the worst impacts of Hurricane Harvey. Aside from winds up to 105 miles per hour, the biggest threat is the rain, CBS News' Manuel Bojorquez reports. 
 
 Victoria is in the bull's eye of Hurricane Harvey's rain, with 20-30 inches expected over the next 72 hours. that's a year's worth of rain for this city. 
 
 The flooding is expected to be worse than Victoria's 1998 disaster. 
 
 "We've never seen a forecast for that kind of localized rain, and I've been working hurricanes and emergencies here for several years. It's the most dangerous forecast we've ever seen," said O.C. Garza the Victoria Office of Emergency Management. 
 
 7:15 p.m.: Corpus Christi police stop responding to emergency calls 
 
 Millions flee for safety ahead of Hurricane Harvey 
 
 Corpus Christi police are not responding to calls for emergency service because of the current weather conditions. If you live in the area and you want to get out, the free bus rides are over and the city has discontinued the service, CBS News correspondent David Begnaud reports. 
 
 The National Weather Service says winds could leave homes uninhabitable for weeks or even months. Storm surge could reach 12 feet -- that's strong enough to wash away vehicles, Begnaud reports. 
 
 Fears of a power outage forced the sickest babies at a children's hospital to be moved out of the hurricane's path. Others are heeding the warnings and evacuating on their own. 
 
 7:02 p.m.: Hurricane Harvey upgraded to Category 4 storm 
 
 The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Hurricane Harvey to a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and is moving northwest at a speed of 8 miles an hour. The storm is about 45 miles outside of Corpus Christi. 
 
 NEW: #Harvey continues to intensify and is now a category 4 #hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/7CkJkuafTb — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 25, 2017 
 
 6:09 p.m.: Houston officials resist calls for evacuation 
 
 Houston is bracing for dozens of inches of rain, but officials are urging residents to stay put. 
 
 Judge Ed Emmett, Harris County's top official, said "no mass evacuations" would be called because the hurricane would not "directly" hit the area. 
 
 "Always say run from water, hide from wind, we mean storm surge, not rain. [It's] not the kind of water we would ask people to evacuation from," Emmett said. 
 
 Mayor Sylvester Turner also urged residents to stay off roads and in their homes. Turner said there might be "greater danger" in having residents who don't need to be evacuated onto roads that could possibly flood, the Associated Press reports. 
 
 6:13 p.m.: NWS issues "EXTREME WIND WARNING" 
 
 The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a warning for southwestern Calhoun County in south Texas, urging residents to "TAKE COVER NOW!" 
 
 "Widespread destructive winds of 115 to 145 mph will spread across Calhoun County, Aransas County, Nueces County, San Patricio County, Refugio County, producing swaths of tornado-like damage," the advisory says. "TAKE COVER NOW! Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to the safe room in your shelter. Take action now to protect your life!" 
 
 5:08 p.m.: Wind speeds reach 125 mph, officials warn of "catastrophic flooding" 
 
 The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says in an update that Harvey now has wind speeds of 125 mph. It's now about 60 miles southeast of Corpus Christi. 
 
 The NHC also says some areas of Texas could get 40 inches of rain and cause "catastrophic flooding." The storm surge is expected to be between 6 to 12 feet along parts of the coast. 
 
 5:06 p.m.: Feds won't question families about immigration status at shelters 
 
 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a joint statement Friday saying they won't question the immigration status of families arriving to hurricane shelters in Texas and Louisiana. 
 
 The agencies said their "highest priorities are to promote life-saving and life-sustaining activities, the safe evacuation of people who are leaving the impacted area, the maintenance of public order, the prevention of the loss of property to the extent possible, and the speedy recovery of the region." 
 
 The joint statement said that routine "non-criminal immigration enforcement operations" would not be conducted at evacuation sites or assistance centers such as shelters or food banks. 
 
 It also warned that immigration laws would not be suspended, and the agencies would "be vigilant against any effort by criminals to exploit disruptions caused by the storm." 
 
 5:03 p.m.: President Trump arrives at Camp David 
 
 The president has arrived at Camp David, where he will be monitoring the storm over the weekend: 
 
 Just arrived at Camp David where I am closely watching the path and doings of Hurricane Harvey, as it strengthens to a Category 3. BE SAFE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:50 p.m.: National Weather Service director: "The impacts will be extreme" 
 
 National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini issued a warning to Louisiana and Texas residents on Friday, calling the impact of Hurricane Harvey "extreme" and "devastating." 
 
 "Catastrophic inland flooding due to incredible rainfall amounts and damaging wind will also be associated with this storm," Uccellini said in a statement Friday. "The flooding will be catastrophic and life threatening. The economic impact will likely be devastating." 
 
 4:46 p.m.: NASA posts photos of storm from space 
 
 NASA posted new photos of Harvey from the International Space Station taken by astronaut Jack Fischer: 
 
 .@Astro2fish orbited over Hurricane #Harvey2017 and photographed the storm bearing down on the Texas coast. pic.twitter.com/eBzNc7NlMZ — Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:38 p.m.: Coast Guard rescues 12 
 
 The U.S. Coast Guard says it has rescued 12 people from the storm near Corpus Christi. 
 
 Breaking News: @USCG Air Station Corpus Christi rescued 12 as #HurricaneHarvey nears. Updates to follow soon at https://t.co/AJyH7tl8P9. pic.twitter.com/WRA8KzFQdy — USCG Heartland (@USCGHeartland) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:30 p.m.: Corpus Christi mayor: "You can't force people to leave" 
 
 Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb told CBSN that he hadn't issued a mandatory evacuation order citywide because "you can't force people to leave and send police out there and drag them out." 
 
 He added, "you can highly recommend it, and we've done that, and say they need to get out of low-lying areas." 
 
 McComb said he'd received a positive response of residents who were seeking higher grounds. "Many people have gone to San Antonio and points beyond," he said Friday. 
 
 4:15 p.m.: Tornado threats in Louisiana and Texas 
 
 The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for for parts of Louisiana and Texas lasting until 3:00 a.m. on Saturday. 
 
 A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Louisiana and Texas until 2 AM CDT pic.twitter.com/WjHxXSSDFt — NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 25, 2017 
 
 4:00 p.m.: Vice President Pence halts travel 
 
 Vice President Mike Pence will remain in Washington D.C. during the storm, his spokesman Marc Lotter announced on Twitter. Pence will coordinate with President Trump as he visits Camp David with first lady Melania Trump on Friday. 
 
 The White House said Marine One landed at Camp David at 3:46 p.m. on Friday, according to the pool report. 
 
 Due to #HurricaneHarvey, @VP Pence will remain in DC this wknd, coordinating with @POTUS Trump at Camp David, monitoring storm & response. — Marc Lotter (@VPPressSec) August 25, 2017 
 
 3:18 p.m.: President Trump tweets about Harvey 
 
 President Trump addressed the threat of Hurricane Harvey on Friday, urging residents to follow the advice of local and state officials. 
 
 I encourage everyone in the path of #HurricaneHarvey to heed the advice & orders of their local and state officials. https://t.co/N6uEWCZUrv — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 
 
 3:15 p.m.: Texas governor requests disaster declaration 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott held an afternoon news conference warning residents that Harvey is going to be a "very major disaster." Abbott said Friday that he's asked President Trump for a federal disaster declaration. 
 
 Abbott warned residents in coastal areas to evacuate their homes, even if local officials hadn't issued an official warning. 
 
 "Even if an evacuation order has not been issued by your local official," Abbott said, "if you are in areas between Corpus Christi and Houston, and maybe even some other areas, especially low lying areas, you need to strongly consider evacuating." 
 
 He added, "You don't want to put yourself in a situation where you could be subject to a search and rescue." 
 
 3:00 p.m.: Hurricane Harvey reaches Category 3 
 
 Harvey became a Category 3 hurricane Friday afternoon, with sustained winds of 120 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. ||||| A long line of cars, trucks and trailers carrying boats clogged the northbound lanes of Interstate 37 Thursday night as nervous residents fled the Corpus Christi area ahead of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall. 
 
 Corpus Christi resident Angie Flores said she agonized over the decision to leave behind her home, which sits just a few blocks from a waterfront. But she said Thursday’s warning from Gov. Greg Abbott to evacuate, and the prospect of winds well over 100 miles-per-hour, convinced her and her husband to take their four dogs to Austin. 
 
 “This is a pretty serious thing,” she said while giving her dogs a quick walk at a highway gas station in Pleasanton, just southeast of San Antonio. “We decided to leave while there was still a window of opportunity instead of being stuck in a real life-threatening situation.” 
 
 The family was headed to a pet friendly hotel in Austin, where they hope they won’t have to stay long. One of her small dogs — Little Boy — is blind and diabetic. “He was shaking in the car,” she said. 
 
 Hurricane Harvey is expected to be a Category 3 — or possibly Category 4 — storm by the time it crashes ashore near Corpus Christi on Friday night or early Saturday. With winds up to 125 miles per hour, storm swells could reach 12 feet and the system could drop more than 30 inches of rain in some spots. Abbott on Thursday activated 700 service members of the Texas Army Guard, Texas Air National Guard and Texas State Guard to help with responses to the monster storm. 
 
 “There is no doubt in my mind that the city will flood,” said Flores, a senior advisor to State Rep. Todd Hunter, a Corpus Christi Republican. “There are some people who aren’t going to leave because they think it’s going to be a good time. I worry about them.” 
 
 Flores said heavy traffic caused drivers to slow to 20 miles per hour at some points during her drive out of the Coastal Bend on Interstate 37. ||||| An oil refinery's lights illuminate rainfall as Hurricane Harvey makes landfall in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017. Hurricane Harvey smashed into Texas late Friday, lashing a wide swath... (Associated Press) 
 
 CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Hurricane Harvey settled over southeast Texas early Saturday, lashing the state's Gulf Coast with damaging winds and dumping torrents of rain over hundreds of miles of coastline that braced for what forecasters predicted would be life-threatening storm surges — basically walls of water moving inland. 
 
 The fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade made landfall Friday night about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Corpus Christi as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. It gradually weakened over the next several hours and the National Hurricane Center said that by 5 a.m. Saturday Harvey was downgraded to a Category 1 — still sustaining winds of 90 mph (144 kph). It had already dumped more than 9 inches (228.6 millimeters) of rain in the South Texas city of Victoria and had knocked out power to more than 200,000 customers. 
 
 Harvey's approach sent tens of thousands of residents fleeing inland, hoping to escape the wrath of a menacing storm that threatens not only the coast but a wide swath of Texas that is home to oil refineries, chemical plants and dangerously flood-prone Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city. 
 
 No deaths were immediately confirmed in the hours after Harvey's arrival, but officials noted emergency crews couldn't get out in many places due to high winds. Melissa Munguia, deputy emergency management coordinator in Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, said early Saturday that it could be hours before crews could fully assess the damage in coastal communities. 
 
 Early reports did begin to emerge from Rockport, a coastal city of about 10,000 people that was directly in Harvey's path when it came ashore. Officials confirmed that the roof of Rockport's high school had partially caved in and that the community's historic downtown saw extensive damage. 
 
 Rockport City Manager Kevin Carruth told local media outlets that multiple people had been taken to the county's jail for assessment and treatment after the roof of a senior housing complex collapsed. KIII-TV reported that 10 people were treated there. 
 
 Earlier Friday, Rockport Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Rios had offered ominous advice, telling the station that those who chose to stay put rather than evacuate the area "should make some type of preparation to mark their arm with a Sharpie pen," implying doing so would make it easier for rescuers to identify them. 
 
 In Corpus Christi, the major city closest to the storm's center, wind whipped palm trees and stinging sheets of horizontal rain slapped against hotels and office buildings along the city's seawall as the storm made landfall. Boats bobbed violently in the marina. It was too dark to tell whether any boats had broken their moorings. 
 
 Fueled by warm Gulf of Mexico waters, Harvey grew rapidly, accelerating from a Category 1 early Friday morning to a Category 4 by evening. Its transformation from an unnamed storm to a life-threatening behemoth took only 56 hours, an incredibly fast intensification. 
 
 Harvey came ashore as the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961's Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record. Based on the atmospheric pressure, Harvey ties for the 18th strongest hurricane on landfall in the U.S. since 1851 and ninth strongest in Texas. 
 
 A worst case scenario is that the hurricane could hug the coast for days and stay strong enough to remain a tropical storm. Forecasts call for as much as 30 inches (.76 meters) of rain to fall by next Wednesday, with some areas getting as much as 40 inches (1 meter), according to the hurricane center. Meanwhile, the storm surge could bring flooding of 6 to 12 feet (2 to 4 meters) to a coastal area that includes Matagorda Island and Port O'Connor. 
 
 Sometime early next week forecasters said it could go back into the warm Gulf of Mexico waters, which provide fuel, then turn back in for a potential second hit on what may be an already flooded Houston-Galveston area. 
 
 Before the storm arrived, home and business owners raced to nail plywood over windows and fill sandbags. Steady traffic filled the highways leaving Corpus Christi, but there were no apparent jams. In Houston, where mass evacuations can include changing major highways to a one-way vehicle flow, authorities left traffic patterns unchanged. 
 
 Just hours before the projected landfall, the governor and Houston leaders issued conflicting statements on evacuation. 
 
 After Gov. Greg Abbott urged more people to flee, Houston authorities told people to remain in their homes and recommended no widespread evacuations. 
 
 In a Friday press conference that addressed Houston officials' decision to not have a voluntary or mandatory evacuation, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said there might be a "greater danger" in having people who don't need to be evacuated on roads that could flood. 
 
 Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said that because the hurricane was not taking direct aim at Houston, the city's primary concern was heavy flooding. 
 
 "We are not having a hurricane," said Emmett, the top elected official for the county, which encompasses Houston. "We are having a rain event." 
 
 At a convenience store in Houston's Meyerland neighborhood, at least 12 cars lined up for fuel. Brent Borgstedte said this was the fourth gas station he had visited to try to fill up his son's car. The 55-year-old insurance agent shrugged off Harvey's risks. 
 
 "I don't think anybody is really that worried about it. I've lived here my whole life," he said. "I've been through several hurricanes." 
 
 Scientists warned that Harvey could swamp counties more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) inland and stir up dangerous surf as far away as Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, 700 miles (1,126 kilometers) from the projected landfall. 
 
 It may also spawn tornadoes. Even after weakening, the system might spin out into the Gulf and regain strength before hitting Houston a second time Wednesday as a tropical storm, forecasters said. 
 
 All seven Texas counties on the coast from Corpus Christi to the western end of Galveston Island ordered mandatory evacuations from low-lying areas. Four counties ordered full evacuations and warned there was no guarantee of rescue for people staying behind. 
 
 State officials said they had no count on how many people actually left their homes. 
 
 The storm posed the first major emergency management test of President Donald Trump's administration. The president was expected to receive briefings during the weekend at Camp David, and signed a federal disaster declaration for coastal counties Friday night. 
 
 The last Category 4 storm to hit the U.S. was Hurricane Charley in August 2004 in Florida. Superstorm Sandy, which pummeled New York and New Jersey in 2012, never had the high winds and had lost tropical status by the time it struck. But it was devastating without formally being called a major hurricane. 
 
 Harvey is the first significant hurricane to hit Texas since Ike in September 2008 brought winds of 110 mph (177 kph) to the Galveston and Houston areas, inflicting $22 billion in damage. 
 
 It's taking aim at the same vicinity as Carla, which had wind gusts estimated at 175 mph and inflicted more than $300 million in damage. The storm killed 34 people and forced about 250,000 people to evacuate. 
 
 ___ 
 
 Associated Press writers Michael Graczyk, Juan Lozano and Nomaan Merchant in Houston; Seth Borenstein and Catherine Lucey in Washington; and Diana Heidgerd, Jamie Stengle, David Warren, Claudia Lauer and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report. ||||| A contractor walks over debris from Hurricane Harvey Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Missouri City, Texas. Harvey rolled over the Texas Gulf Coast on Saturday, smashing homes and businesses and lashing the... (Associated Press) 
 
 CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Hurricane Harvey (all times local): 
 
 2:15 p.m. 
 
 A Coast Guard official says helicopters rescued 18 people from boats and barges that were in distress because of Harvey. 
 
 Capt. Tony Hahn, commander of the Corpus Christi sector, said Saturday that the two helicopters managed to rescue the people when it became safe enough to do so. He says they retrieved three people from a fishing boat, four from a barge and 11 from two tugboats. 
 
 He says several boats sank in the Port of Corpus Christi and there will be a lot of work to do before it can reopen. 
 
 Hahn also says that since Corpus Christi is the third largest petrochemical port in the nation, there is the potential for chemical and crude oil spills, so they'll be watching for that. 
 
 He says the Port of Brownsville reopened Saturday morning and they haven't yet been able to assess the Port of Victoria. 
 
 Harvey came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane Friday night but has since been downgraded to a tropical storm. 
 
 ___ 
 
 2:12 p.m. 
 
 The White House says President Donald Trump has met with his Cabinet and other senior administration officials to discuss the federal response to the flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 It issued a statement Saturday saying that Trump held a video conference from Camp David in which he instructed the relevant departments and agencies to "stay fully engaged and positioned to support his number one priority of saving lives." 
 
 It says Trump also reminded his department heads that the full impact of the storm won't be apparent for days, as residents of Texas and Louisiana recover from the heavy flooding and wind damage. 
 
 Harvey came ashore in Texas on Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane but has since been downgraded to a tropical storm as it weakens while moving inland. Forecasters warn of the possibility of catastrophic flooding, including in Houston, the nation's fourth largest city. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1:45 p.m. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says there have been no confirmed deaths linked to Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 Abbott said at a news conference Saturday in Austin that he's working with local officials and seeking information about the storm, but that there's nothing yet confirming that it killed anyone. 
 
 Abbott says it's too early to speculate as to how much property damage the storm has caused, but he has expanded his disaster declaration to cover more counties. 
 
 Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane, but it has since been downgraded to a tropical storm as it weakens while moving inland. 
 
 Forecasters warn that the storm could cause catastrophic flooding as it lingers in the area for several days. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1 p.m. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Harvey from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm. 
 
 But officials say they are still worried about potentially catastrophic rainfall that will continue for days, with more than 40 inches and flash flooding possible even well inland. 
 
 Harvey came ashore Friday along the Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds, the most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade. 
 
 Experts say hurricanes almost always lose strength quickly after making landfall and moving away from the warm waters that fuel their winds. But the danger doesn't end there. 
 
 Harvey is expected to keep slowing and dumping rain through the middle of next week. 
 
 ___ 
 
 12:45 p.m. 
 
 Hurricane Harvey has been dumping nearly 3 inches (76.2 millimeters) of rain per hour at times and has left some streets in flood-prone Houston submerged in water. 
 
 Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, the chief administrator of the county that includes Houston, says flooding so far is a "minor issue." He says most of the watersheds are well within their banks "but we're not out of this." 
 
 Forecasters are predicting major flooding in the area by Tuesday. Houston has about 1,700 miles (2735.76 kilometers) of channels that drain to the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 A handful of freeway service roads and streets and some scattered neighborhoods that normally experience high water in heavy rain have been flooded. 
 
 Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner cautions that although major flooding hasn't happened yet, "that can change." 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:30 a.m. 
 
 Families who escaped Rockport before Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Texas coastal city are worried about neighbors and whether their homes are still standing. 
 
 Johanna Cochran says she's panicking over whether her house or the McDonald's where she works survived the storm, which dealt Rockport a direct blow. She and her boyfriend evacuated to a San Antonio shelter along with dozens of other coastal residents. 
 
 Another Rockport resident, Pamela Montes, says she's also worried about her friends and her home. She says she knows many people who stayed behind because "no one felt like it was going to hit." 
 
 Harvey made landfall Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane but has since been downgraded to a Category 1, which is the least powerful classification. Forecasters warn that it could cause catastrophic flooding over the coming days. 
 
 ___ 
 
 11 a.m. 
 
 Texas officials say they are evacuating about 4,500 inmates from three state prisons in Brazoria County south of Houston because the nearby Brazos River is rising from Hurricane Harvey's heavy rain. 
 
 The Department of Criminal Justice says inmates from the Ramsey, Terrell, and Stringfellow Units in Rosharon are being taken by bus to other prisons in east Texas. 
 
 Additional food and water has been delivered to the prisons receiving the displaced inmates. 
 
 Harvey came ashore in Texas on Friday night as the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade. It has since weakened to a Category 1 storm. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:35 a.m. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Harvey's maximum sustained winds have decreased to about 75 mph (120 kph) and that the storm is now centered about 25 miles west of Victoria, Texas. 
 
 The center says in its 10 a.m. update that the storm is expected to weaken over the next 48 hours and to become a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon. The storm is moving north at 2 mph (3 kph). 
 
 The hurricane center says that although the winds are weakening, the storm could cause catastrophic flooding over the coming days. 
 
 Harvey came ashore in Texas on Friday night as the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:15 a.m. 
 
 The Coast Guard has sent two helicopters to try to rescue the crews of three tugboats in distress near the Lydia Ann Channel near Port Aransas, Texas. 
 
 The Coast Guard at Corpus Christi says it received a mayday notification Saturday from crew members aboard the Belle Chase, Sandy Point and Sabine Pass. 
 
 Two MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrews have been sent to rescue the crews. 
 
 Texas is being pounded by Hurricane Harvey, which came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane Friday night but has since been downgraded to a Category 1 as it moves inland. Forecasters warn that it could cause catastrophic flooding in the coming days. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:40 a.m. 
 
 Hurricane Harvey has knocked out power to nearly 300,000 customers along the Texas coast and has dumped nearly 20 inches (half a meter) of rain in some places. 
 
 The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages about 90 percent of the state's electric grid, says there were 211,000 outages in the few hours after Harvey made landfall Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane. 
 
 That figure rose to 293,000 on Saturday, when the hurricane was downgraded to Category 1. 
 
 In addition to loss of power, emergency personnel in the communities northeast of Corpus Christi where Harvey made landfall are reporting loss of cellphone service and other forms of communication. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9 a.m. 
 
 The rain was so torrential along Interstate 45 coming out of Galveston as Hurricane Harvey settled over southeast Texas that motorists had to stop under bridges to avoid driving in whiteout conditions. 
 
 The downpour on Saturday has also caused minor street flooding along a highway in Dickinson, about 25 miles northwest of Galveston. 
 
 Harvey, the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade, made landfall Friday night about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Corpus Christi as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. 
 
 It gradually weakened over the next several hours and the National Hurricane Center said that by 5 a.m. Saturday Harvey was downgraded to a Category 1. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:30 a.m. 
 
 A Texas mayor says Hurricane Harvey hit his coastal community "right on the nose" and left "widespread devastation." 
 
 Rockport Mayor Charles "C.J." Wax told The Weather Channel on Saturday that some homes and businesses were heavily damaged or even completely destroyed. Schools were also damaged. 
 
 He says emergency response system for the city of about 10,000 people has been hampered by the loss of cellphone service and other forms of communication. 
 
 Harvey made landfall Friday evening as a Category 4 hurricane but has since been downgraded to a Category 1. The National Hurricane Center says the threat in coming days is sustained rains that could unleash "catastrophic" flooding. 
 
 The city of Victoria, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of Rockport, had received more than 16 inches of rain by Saturday morning. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:15 a.m. 
 
 Daybreak has revealed some of the damage caused when Hurricane Harvey came ashore overnight, including downed lamp posts and tree limbs in Corpus Christi and roof tiles torn off buildings. 
 
 Harvey came ashore along Texas' Gulf Coast on Friday night as the most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade. It has since been downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 1 hurricane, but the storm is expected to hover in the region for days and to dump as much as 40 inches (1 meter) of rain in places. 
 
 Corpus Christi's marina has been left nearly unscathed, save an awning ripped from a restaurant entrance and a wooden garbage bin uprooted and thrown. 
 
 An old white sport fishing boat was partially submerged and several boats' sails came unfurled and were ripped and whipping in wind gusts of more than 50 mph. 
 
 ___ 
 
 7:45 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump has commended the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for his handling of the hurricane now hitting the Texas Gulf Coast. 
 
 In a tweet Saturday morning addressed to FEMA head Brock Long, Trump said: "You are doing a great job - the world is watching! Be safe." 
 
 Hurricane Harvey, the fiercest to hit the U.S. in more than a decade, is posing the first major emergency management test of Trump's administration. 
 
 In a separate tweet, Trump said he is monitoring the hurricane closely from Camp David and "We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs. working great together!" 
 
 He also tweeted that "We have fantastic people on the ground, got there long before #Harvey. So far, so good!" 
 
 ___ 
 
 5:45 a.m. 
 
 Harvey has been further downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane as it churns slowly inland from the Texas Gulf Coast, already depositing more than 9 inches of rain in South Texas. 
 
 Harvey made landfall about 10 p.m. Friday east-northeast of Corpus Christi as a Category 4, with winds in excess of 130 mph (210 kph). 
 
 But wind speeds quickly weakened and by early Saturday Harvey was downgraded. It continues to produce gusts of up to 120 mph (193 kph) and sustained winds of 90 mph (144 kph). The National Hurricane Center warns of "catastrophic flooding" over the next few days. 
 
 Emergency personnel in coastal communities like Rockport, just northeast of Corpus Christi, say there's broad damage to buildings. But Rockport Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Sims said early Saturday that firefighters were hunkered down at the city's fire station waiting for conditions to improve to assess the damage. 
 
 ___ 
 
 4:22 a.m. 
 
 Hurricane Harvey has settled over southeast Texas, dumping rain and lashing the state's Gulf Coast with damaging winds. 
 
 The storm made landfall Friday night as a Category 4 with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. It gradually weakened over the next several hours and by early Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said it back to a Category 2 — still sustaining winds of 110 mph (185 kph) as of 3 a.m. 
 
 Early damage reports from Gulf Coast cities included collapsed roofs and walls. One community transported multiple people from a senior living home to the county jail for treatment after a roof caved in. 
 
 But officials remained largely unable to assess the damage before daylight. 
 
 The storm is expected to slow further and flood the area with rain through the middle of next week. The center warned that Harvey could produce life-threatening storm surges along a coastal area of more than 400 miles (643 kilometers). ||||| (CNN) Hurricane Harvey made landfall Friday night between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor, Texas, as a Category 4 storm with winds of 130 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. 
 
 Harvey is the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Charley in 2004. 
 
 The storm is poundng the Texas coast and its millions of residents with hurricane-force winds knocking down trees, power poles and signs, and with torrential rain deluging streets. 
 
 In its 11 p.m. ET update, the National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm had passed over San Jose Island, bringing with it a dangerous and powerful eye wall. 
 
 The hurricane center warns that some areas will see as much as 13 feet of storm surge and large, destructive waves. 
 
 And there's the rain that the slow-moving storm is expected to produce. Because it is expected to come to a near halt inland, Harvey could drop as much as 40 inches of rain in some places, and up to 30 inches in others, by Wednesday. 
 
 #Harvey made landfall at 10 PM CDT as a category 4 hurricane near Rockport, Texas, with max winds of 130 mph and min pressure of 938 mb. pic.twitter.com/98y5wpKmBw — NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 26, 2017 
 
 The combination of wind and water could leave wide swaths of South Texas "uninhabitable for weeks or months," the National Weather Service in Houston said. 
 
 Such daunting language hasn't been seen by CNN's experts since Hurricane Katrina , which left more than 1,800 people dead in 2005. 
 
 The threat has prompted officials in at least one town to ask residents who stay behind to write their Social Security numbers on one of their arms in case. It will make identifying bodies easier. 
 
 "Texas is about to have a very significant disaster," said Brock Long, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
 
 Gov. Greg Abbott warned of record-setting flooding and called on people to flee the area before the storm hits. 
 
 "My top goal is to be able to make it through this storm in a way in which we lose no lives," Abbott said. "Put your life first and your property second." 
 
 The golden arches atop a McDonald's in Galveston were downed by high winds. 
 
 Residents were urged to evacuate. A mass exodus from the coast caused extensive traffic jams along the state's highways, while other people boarded up windows and stocked up on food and water ahead of the storm, the effects of which are expected to last for days. 
 
 The storm will stall and dump rain on South Texas and parts of Louisiana into the middle of next week, forecasters predicted. 
 
 Latest developments 
 
 -- Rockport, Texas, officials are advising residents who refuse to evacuate to write their names and Social Security number on a forearm, Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Rios told CNN. Rios said it will "help out first responders should they find a body." 
 
 -- The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi issued an extreme wind warning for portions of the Texas coast. "Widespread destructive winds of 115 to 145 mph will produce swaths of tornado-like damage," the agency said. 
 
 -- Texas' governor requested additional federal help with a presidential disaster declaration. The White House is considering the declaration. 
 
 -- President Donald Trump, who will visit the area next week, has signed a disaster declaration for the state. 
 
 I encourage everyone in the path of #HurricaneHarvey to heed the advice & orders of their local and state officials. https://t.co/N6uEWCZUrv — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 
 
 FEMA prepared for 'significant disaster' 
 
 JUST WATCHED What Hurricane Harvey looks like from space Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH What Hurricane Harvey looks like from space 00:41 
 
 Those who stay should "elevate and get into a structure that can withstand potentially Category 3 winds from a hurricane," said Long, the FEMA director. 
 
 "The bottom line message is, right now, if people have not heeded the warning, again, their window to do so is closing," Long said. "If they refuse to heed the warning, that's on them." 
 
 Long said he is "very worried" about storm surge, or "wind-driven water," slamming coastal areas, saying it has the "highest potential to kill the most amount of people and cause the most amount of damage." 
 
 Trump tweeted that he has spoken with the governors of Texas and Louisiana, saying he is "closely monitoring Hurricane Harvey developments and here to assist as needed." 
 
 Record flooding expected 
 
 Christopher Beafneaux, left, Ernesto Villarreal, center, and Roman Lopez board up windows of a business in Galveston. 
 
 Officials worried that Harvey's deluge of rain will drench Texas and the region for several days. 
 
 "We could see this storm park for almost five days in some places, and we hear three feet of rain," said Bill Read, the former director of the National Hurricane Center. "That's just going to be a huge problem for these areas." 
 
 "The water is going to be the issue," Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb said. "We've never had anything like this." 
 
 Harvey is also causing concern in New Orleans, where heavy rain could usher in as much as 20 inches of rain through early next week and overwhelm the city's already-compromised drainage system 
 
 Storm nears shore 
 
 Joey Walker, 25, works with the Galveston Island Beach Patrol and is riding out the storm from a house on Galveston Island. He posted video of near-white out conditions overlooking Stewart Beach. 
 
 Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said anyone not leaving should plan to stay off the roads once the storm starts. 
 
 "People need to know, this is not a one-, two-day event and done," Turner said. 
 
 'I'm trying to be strong' 
 
 The threat of Harvey became evident Thursday when several coastal Texas counties issued evacuation orders, leading to hordes of residents sitting bumper to bumper for miles. 
 
 Traffic on Interstate 37 between San Antonio and Corpus Christi was backed up for miles Thursday. 
 
 Rose Yepez told CNN it took her twice as long as usual to drive 140 miles from Corpus Christi to San Antonio, en route to Texas Hill Country. 
 
 Private vehicles -- along with city buses packed with adults and children carrying backpacks -- jammed roads for hours. 
 
 "I'm shaking inside, but for them, I'm trying to be strong," a Corpus Christi woman who was waiting with her two daughters to board a bus out of town told CNN affiliate KRIS. 
 
 Workers at 39 offshore petroleum production platforms and an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico also evacuated Thursday, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said. 
 
 A sign reading "Be Nice Harvey" was left behind on a boarded-up business in Port Aransas. 
 
 First responders such as Brittany Fowler stayed behind and waited for the storm. 
 
 "Hopefully, it doesn't do any damage, but if it does, we've prepared," Fowler, a firefighter in Corpus Christi, wrote on Instagram. 
 
 Fowler's family helped by boarding up windows and doors at her home, and she bought plenty of water, food and a small power generator. 
 
 Special thank you to my Dad, brother and Marz for boarding up the house and getting it squared away for #Harvey! Hopefully it doesn't do any damage but if it does we've prepared. #HurricaneHarvey #WeatherChannel #CorpusChristi #hurricane #gulfcoast A post shared by Brittany Fowler (@bafowler1) on Aug 24, 2017 at 1:56pm PDT 
 
 Despite the warnings, Elsie and David Reichenbacher prepped supplies and planned to stay put in Corpus Christi. 
 
 "I've gone through a lot of hurricanes. I've lived here most of my life," Elsie Reichenbacher said. "I'd rather take care of my home and my animals and be safe here. I'm on high ground with my house."
– Texas is bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Harvey, a storm that meteorologists say could turn into a slow-moving "monster" that batters the state for several days. Harvey is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane late Friday or early Saturday, and AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski says it "may be nothing short of a flooding disaster" for Texas, USA Today reports. Forecasters say that after it moves ashore, Harvey is likely to end up trapped between two areas of high pressure, keeping it stalled over Texas for up to five days, dumping as much as 35 inches of rain on parts of the state. The latest developments: The National Weather Service says ingredients including warm water and calm air high up have made Harvey a potentially life-threatening storm, with a possible storm surge 12 feet high and winds up to 125mph. "It's a very dangerous storm," National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini tells the AP. "It does have all the ingredients it needs to intensify. And we're seeing that intensification occur quite rapidly." The service's safety resources can be found here. The latest from the National Hurricane Center is here. Harvey strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane early Friday, CNN reports. Several counties along the coast had already issued evacuation orders. If it does become a Category 3 by the time it is expected to make landfall around 70 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, it will be the first storm that size to hit the US since Hurricane Wilma in Oct. 2005 The Corpus Christi Caller-Times looks at what people can expect from a Category 3 hurricane—and at what people who choose to ride it out instead of following recommendations to evacuate should do. With massive flooding and power outages possible in the Houston area, people have been rushing to stock up on essentials, causing chaos at grocery stores and gas stations, the Houston Chronicle reports. Liquor stores are also experiencing a huge rise in demand. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office says President Trump has called the governor and offered whatever federal resources are needed, KHOU reports. Abbott has already declared a state of disaster in 30 counties. He has also activated 700 Texas National Guard members. Interstate 37's northbound lanes were clogged with traffic late Thursday as people fled the Corpus Christi area. "There is no doubt in my mind that the city will flood," resident Angie Flores, who went to Austin with her husband and their four dogs, tells the American-Statesman. "There are some people who aren't going to leave because they think it’s going to be a good time. I worry about them."