Governor: Texas confronting "very major disaster" from powerful Hurricane Harvey
The category 4 Hurricane Harvey is battering coastal areas of Texas with winds up to 215-kmph after making landfall. The hurricane is the most powerful one to hit America in the past 12 years. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said his state is confronting "a very major disaster." US President Donald Trump has approved a disaster proclamation for Texas, making federal aid more easily accessible.
Very heavy rain, storm surges expected to hit cities
The hurricane tore down trees in the coastal town of Corpus Christi, whose residents fled after boarding up their homes. There were long traffic queues on highways caused by people fleeing the storm. The hurricane is expected to bring over 1-metre of rainfall and storm surges of up to 4-metres. Houston could experience 20-inches of rain, generating life-threatening floods.
What are storm surges?
Storm surges take place when low pressure at sea "lifts" tides to a higher-than-normal level with high winds blowing them in land. These cause devastating floods.
Hurricane Harvey most powerful storm to hit America in 12-years
Hurricane Harvey is likely the most powerful storm to hit America since Hurricane Wilma, which struck Florida's coast in October 2005. The storm left 87 people and came in the same season as Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans, killing around 2,000 people in August. August 2004's Hurricane Charley was the last category four storm to hit the US.
