Rockport, Texas, Aug 27 (EFE).- Tropical Storm Harvey forced the two most important airports in Houston to close and about 100 flights to be canceled, airport authorities posted on their respective Web pages.
The facilities that had to close were the William P. Hobby Airport and the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, considered the largest in Houston and from which flights leave for different countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South America.
In all, more than 3,000 flights have been canceled over the weekend due to the “catastrophic” flooding in southeast Texas and which on Sunday particularly hit the city of Houston, the fourth largest in the US with 2 million inhabitants and where the flood water could reach 1 meter (3 feet) deep.
According to the flight tracking program Flight Aware, on Sunday 2,082 flights have been canceled on Sunday, added to the 1,100 suspended on Saturday and the 200 that were unable to take off on Friday due to the Harvey alerts.
Harvey first made landfall in Rockport, located northeast of Corpus Christi, at 10:00 pm Friday as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph (133 mph).
Though it has now weakened to a tropical storm, Harvey was the most powerful hurricane to hit the United States in 12 years.
At least 5 die from Hurricane Harvey in Houston
San Antonio, Aug 27 (EFE).- Hurricane Harvey, now weakened to a tropical storm, left at least five people dead and dozens injured as it swept through Houston, Texas, the National Weather Service (NWS) said Sunday.
Authorities fear that the torrential rains will cause major floods from the rivers that flow through Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States with a population of 2 million.
Though the NWS speaks of five people killed, the Sheriff’s Office in Harris County, where Houston is located, could only confirm one fatality.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that while Harvey has maximum sustained winds of 65 kph (40 mph), the continued torrential rains make it as dangerous as a hurricane.
The NWS said the eye of the Harvey is now 55 kilometers (35 miles) east-southeast of San Antonio.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that the helicopters of emergency management teams are carrying out rescue missions in the Houston and east Texas areas.
Harvey, which made landfall Friday night in Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, is scarcely moving at 2 kph (1 mph) in a south-southeasterly direction, which only increases its destructive power against everything in its path.
Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the United States in 12 years, first made landfall in Rockport, located northeast of Corpus Christi, at 10:00 pm Friday with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph (133 mph).
President Donald Trump said Sunday he will visit the affected areas of Texas as soon as possible.