Hurricane Harvey ripped through southeastern Texas this weekend, leaving a trail of disaster and heartbreak behind it. Â
Harvey began as a tropical storm over the Gulf of Mexico, but it moved into Texas and became a hurricane flooding multiple cities in the state, including Houston, the fourth-largest city in the country.
At least 10 people have died and thousands have moved to shelters due to their houses flooding, according to local officials. Houston has accumulated at least 40 inches of rainfall, but it could go up to 50 inches if the rain stays, according to the National Weather Service. Some areas in Houston have reached 25 feet above the flood line and residents have found themselves looking for their belongings and loved ones.
Many companies and organizations in Memphis reached out to the victims of Harvey and are sending support to them.
The Memphis Fire Department was ordered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send out a task force of 80 people, which included fire fighters, doctors, engineers and K-9 handlers.
“We have, so far, rescued and evacuated about 247 residents in the Houston area,†Lieutenant Wayne Cooke, a public information officer at the fire department, said.
The team will stay in Texas until FEMA releases them, according to Cooke.
Kroger has partnered with the American Red Cross to help raise money for the victims of the hurricane. Customers can donate any amount of money at the checkout counters.
The Student Government Association at the University of Memphis has plans to help the victims of Harvey as well. They will start a fundraising website and a fundraiser at Thursday’s football game, but details are still being decided.
“The project SGA started in collaboration with the president’s office to raise money for Hurricane Harvey victims has now grown into a campus-wide project,†Drew Gilmore, SGA president, said.
FedEx also tweeted they will donate one million dollars and provide transportation to help the victims.
Houston’s flood plans were not ready for Harvey, said Dorian Burnette, a professor of earth sciences and weather at the U of M. According to Burnette, the city planned for a flood possibly coming instead of preparing for the worst.
“Houston didn’t plan for this type of flood very well,†Burnette said. “It’s not a question of if, but when.â€
Houston is huge, and evacuating would not have been ideal, according to Burnette. But they needed more flood-resistant structures.
The hurricane initially hit land in Texas, but it is moving with Memphis in its track.
“Rain is coming this way,†Burnette said. “It’s not as insane as Houston, because the storm is moving, but our problem is that we do have a major river that could flood.â€
Families should have a plan of action, Burnette said, as he expects about six inches of rain.
Erik Proseus, a meteorologist and proprietor of Memphisweather.net, disagreed. He said Houston’s preparations were adequate.
“The biggest issue there was that they had a hard time visualizing exactly what 40 feet of rain looks like,†Proseus said. “I think they did their best with the information they had to work with.â€
Heavy rain should be in Memphis by Thursday, and he expects winds up to 30 miles per hour with possible flash flooding.
“If you’re in an area with a lot of trees, make sure nothing blocks the gutters, and you try to remove debris,†Proseus said. “The best advice is if you live in an area that floods, be prepared.â€