Hurricane Harvey 2017 Latest News Update: Storm Downgraded to Category 2
Hurricane Harvey has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm five hours after it made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. The storm currently has maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (mph) as it moves across Texas.
Harvey was downgraded to Category 3 after it made a second landfall on the northeastern shore of Copano Bay at around 1 a.m. CDT after its winds decreased to 125 mph. Catastrophic flooding is expected in the areas directly on the hurricane's path.
The storm is the strongest to hit the state in decades with maximum winds of 130 mph. The last Category 4 storm to hit Texas, Hurricane Carla, devastated the state more than five decades ago in 1961.
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Residents in the area have frantically stocked up on food and other essential items with many products reaching astronomical prices as supplies were quickly depleted. Many homeowners boarded up their doors and windows to prevent them from being destroyed by flying debris picked up by gale force winds.
Flights and classes have been canceled while concerts and other scheduled events in Houston and coastal cities were postponed. The hurricane's effects are expected to linger for days. Moreover, many areas are expected to experience heavy rainfall estimated to be as high as 40-50 inches.
At least 10 people have been injured after Hurricane Harvey slammed the Gulf Coast. Over 100,000 people are currently without power in the affected areas with the storm uprooting utility poles and breaking power lines. Multiple tornado warnings have also been issued to the areas upper of Texas and far south-west Louisiana.
President Donald Trump has already signed a disaster proclamation at the request of Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott. This allows the release of federal disaster response funds and resources to the affected areas. Abbott also declared a state of disaster in 30 counties in order to speed up the deployment of state resources.
