(ANTIMEDIA) — After evolving into a Category 4 storm from a tropical depression in only 56 hours, Hurricane Harvey made landfall Friday night near Rockford, Texas, where it stalled for hours, unleashing sustained winds of over 140 mph, along with torrential rain. As the storm inched onto land, it slowly reduced in intensity, but with the decrease in wind speed came an increase in rainfall.
Overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, the worst case scenario rainfall projections suddenly appeared to be coming true. Houston and the surrounding areas were taking on water at a rate of six inches an hour. Catastrophic rainfall amounts are estimated to end up as high as 50 inches in some areas.
Live feed from Houston:
As night fell, Houston’s roadways began rapidly taking on water, stranding drivers in their cars and residents in their homes. Around midnight, the National Weather Service and local Houston authorities urged residents to stay in their homes and avoid all travel, referring to the flooding potential as both “epic” and “catastrophic.”
Rescue teams were overwhelmed with too many emergency calls to respond to each one and had to prioritize life-and-death situations.
“It’s catastrophic, unprecedented, epic — whatever adjective you want to use,” a National Weather Service meteorologist, told the Houston Chronicle. “It’s pretty horrible right now.”
More than 1,000 water rescues had already completed in Houston as of this morning in what is expected to be a multi-day emergency for much of the region.
CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS & LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. STAY PUT! #houwx #glswx
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 27, 2017
NEW FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR LIFE-THREATENING CATASTROPHIC FLOODING… #txwx #houwx #glswx #bcswx #Harvey pic.twitter.com/Qct0ueQRs3
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 27, 2017
Rivers are on the rise and MAJOR to RECORD flooding is forecast. #houwx #glswx #Harvey #txwx pic.twitter.com/FHf4N50xku
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 27, 2017
Houston residents stranded in their flooded homes have been using social media to plea for rescue assistance as emergency responders are inundated with calls, leaving many of the stranded unable to contact authorities.
As the waters continue to rise, Texans brace themselves for what might be one of the worst natural disasters to hit the U.S. in decades. The Houston area can expect an additional 18 to 24 inches over through Friday.
Here are a number of photos and videos showing the beginning stages of flooding already wreaking havoc on the citizens of Houston:
More light reveals the flooding in #Houston #hurricane #Harvey #flood #flooding #weather #hurricane #texas #water … https://t.co/IgzYIZX1aP pic.twitter.com/mMHGyBgQdW
— DoubleHorn Photo (@DoubleHornPhoto) August 27, 2017
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Live from Downtown Houston: flood with tornado warning
Live from Downtown Houston: flood with tornado warning #facebooklive. Reed Timmer Extreme Meteorologist reporting.
Posted by AccuWeather on Sunday, August 27, 2017
TX med ctr: HPD says "go home." brays bayou flooding onto 288, rescue towing. (From my friend Lexy) @lookner #harvey pic.twitter.com/mknLiiBIG5
— Matt Vengrin (@MattVengrin) August 27, 2017
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Live from major flooding Downtown Houston
Live from major flooding Downtown Houston near I-10 and hwy 59 #facebooklive Reed Timmer Extreme Meteorologist reporting.
Posted by AccuWeather on Sunday, August 27, 2017
Water is ankle deep in my courtyard already #houwx #Harvey pic.twitter.com/jgA4mpQgOX
— Dylan Baddour (@DylanBaddour) August 27, 2017
Water coming into studio at #KHOU11… We are moving upstairs. pic.twitter.com/MMEljNatw7
— Doug Delony (@DougDelonyKHOU) August 27, 2017
Unbelievable Lightning strike here in Pearland due to storms from Hurricane Harvey. Wow. #ABC13Houston #HurricaneHarvey #WeatherChannel pic.twitter.com/EGcZEZYlZC
— Michael Coleman (@mscottcoleman) August 27, 2017
Flooding in Downtown Houston as feeder band trains to the east of stationary Tropical Storm #Harvey @breakingweather pic.twitter.com/XFcwsiH8Ei
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 27, 2017
This is why they call it flash flooding. The street in front of #khou11 . #Harvey pic.twitter.com/IXoLMmawwa
— The Bishop (@BillBishopKHOU) August 27, 2017
Flooding on William St & Street St north downtown #houston. Water 18" deep & rising. Sheriff on scene #HurricaneHarvey #Harvey #houwx pic.twitter.com/VaDLTQ8cAy
— adam j williams (@AdamWillyums) August 27, 2017
This image and the forecast of what is still to fall…. This is surreal. #HoustonFlood #Harvey pic.twitter.com/zK9WojsMAH
— Matthew Sitkowski (@MattSitkowski) August 27, 2017
Harvey is in effect here. #hurricaneharvey #houston #flooding pic.twitter.com/jzV8NWEtBB
— Angela Ramirez (@RamirezAngela3) August 27, 2017
#BREAKING: significant flooding on Allen Parkway at Taft @KPRC2 #Harvey pic.twitter.com/4NKYXztlMe
— Sara Donchey (@KPRC2Sara) August 27, 2017
My sister couldn't get home because of the rain, car got stuck. She is safe. #TropicalStormHarvey #HurricaneHarvey #houstonweather #KHOU pic.twitter.com/pRtKvpYSqS
— Ilsse (@mommailsse16) August 27, 2017
#FlashFlood emergency continues for #Houston. Please use extreme care if you *must* travel the area tonight #Harvey pic.twitter.com/uD6uP6aNqm
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 27, 2017
Hurricane Harvey Flooding Braes Bayou 8/26 live https://t.co/b3S97F9R0k
— JoeR (@pinguino17) August 27, 2017
TheWarMonitor: RT worldonalert: #Texas: Major flooding in #Houston tonight. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/z0iVk7Z0lc
— iDEFY (@imax111) August 27, 2017
Feeling nervous. Water is rising. This is Spring Branch Houston. Wycliffe and timberoak and brittmore area. @abc13weather #Harvey pic.twitter.com/JSVCKCZ1d1
— Nes Segovia (@sesavan) August 27, 2017
#Texas: The water is rising in #Houston. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/EgZU1KzH7S
— WorldOnAlert (@worldonalert) August 27, 2017
Flooding on William St & Street St north downtown #houston. Water 18" deep & rising. Sheriff on scene #HurricaneHarvey #Harvey #houwx pic.twitter.com/VaDLTQ8cAy
— adam j williams (@AdamWillyums) August 27, 2017
En fotos: #Houston está bajo el agua con la llegada de #Harvey https://t.co/t994Q7k9Xx pic.twitter.com/02H4oJPh76
— Gabriel G. Marquez (@G_GarciaMarquez) August 27, 2017
Autour de #Houston #Texas, les #pluies orageuses de #Harvey donnent déjà 280 à 450 mm dans la zone #Flooding,via https://t.co/Lis9oeJjhT pic.twitter.com/IrYajkOeOZ
— Meteos (@Meteos_) August 27, 2017
Creative Commons / Anti-Media / Report a typo / Photo credit: DoubleHorn Photo