That's a big storm and a lot of people...and a low coastline. I hope there's a maximum of preparation and a minimum of loss. You folks out in Texas, stay safe!

OK - waiting to hear from anybody along that coast this morning. Hope you are all doing OK - please let us know if you have power and are able to communicate.

Jackie

We've gotten 4 inches of rain. No bad winds. It landed well to the south of us. Our main problem is that we may get 25 inches of rain before it is all said and done, since Harvey is basically supposed to camp on the coast for 4 days. Some places have already gotten 15.

Glad to hear you're all right so far. I hope all that rain has a way to get back to the sea fairly quickly. That can sometimes be more of a problem further inland than closer to the coast.

I hope Harvey moves along sooner than expected.

Virginia

Just the thought of all of that rain and flooding makes me so sad for Texas.

So far just rain in my neck of the woods but this is just the beginning. Its supposed to keep raining until Wednesday so I'm praying for no flooding. My thoughts and prayers are with those worst hit in Rockport, Port Lavaca and Corpus Christie. Having survived Hurricane Rita I fully understand the devastation they have endured and my heart goes out to them because I know the recovery can be long and tedious. Weeks without electricity is not fun but people will survive with generators and will begin to rebuild. My husband and I both had to return to work immediately after Rita to work as first responders and in the hospitals and were without electricity for two weeks but some people were out much longer.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers from everyone here on the forum, Texas needs it right now!

The really bad thing is that Victoria, Port O'Connor, etc are going to get a double whammy. It's circling back to them tonight. Some places might get 45" of rain.

Yep that's gonna suck. Im sure there are other towns we haven't heard about that are smaller that are having hell too.

I'm in Ft Bend County TX.Woke up to totally flooded yard....knee deep water.Our home isn't flooded yet because its several feet off the ground.Many places are closed today.I know there is much more rain to come.Had to relocate my potted roses to higher ground.

Yikes, kaleidoscope!

Hang in there, Kaleidoscope! Wish I lived close enough to help you haul roses to higher ground. Carol

We're all thinking of you!

Hang in there Kaleidoscope! Praying your home does not flood! Keep us posted if you can on how it's going over there.

We're up to about 14 inches. My in-laws got 20 inches overnight and are putting furniture on blocks and probably evacuating. This mess is just getting started.

Yes indeed it's only going to get worse I'm afraid. We just moved our cars to higher ground and came back to the house in my husbands truck to start getting the house ready in case we do flood. Putting things on beds, getting stuff together to put furniture up off the floors if needed and packing overnight bags if we have to leave. I have done this once before in 1994 and it's nerve wracking. Good luck to you and your family Needsmore and stay safe.

I'm so sorry everyone.

Thanks boncrow and needsmoremulch for updating us. We're all worried for you!

I was just watching TV - the scariest thing I heard was a public safety announcement in Houston which said, among other things: "do not go into your attic unless you have an axe". The Coast Guard is sending helicopters from all over the country to rescue people off roofs.

Hoping that everyone stays safe - the main thing to do with that is evidently to stay out of water in your car - that is where 100% of the deaths have occurred so far.

Jackie

I am far away but thinking of you too. I saw the terrible results of the 1984 Barneveld, Wisconsin tornado with heavy farm machinery lifted up in the air like toys. 9 people died. It was very scary to watch even days after the event. Take care and stay safe! Lives matter more than things.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Barneveld_tornado_outbreak

Needmoremulch and Boncrow, thank you for keeping in touch. I hope the worst is better than anticipated! I continue to hold you and everyone in SE TX and affected regions in my thoughts as you cope with practical matters of preserving home and treasured possessions and essential matters of preserving safety and sanity. Carol

Best wishes to all in the area. I have family in Houston and LA. They're keeping me updated. So far they're ok but Houston looks very bad already in many parts. We lived in Houston 12 years and it was flood prone in parts back then. New Orleans is going to get a lot of rain and I don't think their pumps are in order. You'd think they'd prioritize that.

needmoremulch, don't know where exactly you are in Texas but I think you are in the vicinity where I used to live. My friends from the Bryan/College Station area just now updated us that all are safe. Hope you are nearby there and safe too. boncrow66, my thoughts are with you as well.

Our cat ended up dying in the flood. Woke up this morning to water about 6 inches from being even with the bottom door frame. We parked our trucks on the road so they hopefully wont flood.The water receded somewhat during the day.We are going to try and hold out until we either lose power or have our house actually flood. This is beyond horrible. We have numerous animals so that's one big reason for staying here.

Also,I have had to walk through the flood waters and there are snakes swimming around and huge balls of fire ants.I know some areas have alligators out of their normal habitat.

Oh no! I'm sorry you lost your kitty. I hope you and your family and other pets stay safe. Lisa

Oh my gosh, kaleidoscope, that's heartbreaking. I'm so sorry for your loss. I know you know to take those fire ant balls seriously too, take care.

kaleidoscope, I'm deeply sorry about your cat. I got info that Houston has now lifted their no pets policy for shelters. Please check with your county, hope they lifted it there too.

So sorry for the loss of your cat. :(

It just started raining again where I am, east of Houston. We were pounded last night and this afternoon, but then it quit for a while. I'm tired and worn out from the stress, but thankful that my house and those of my family and friends have been spared the worst so far. My heart goes out to those who have been displaced and lost loved ones. Another sleepless night begins.

Brittie, I thought about you as I remember you're in the Houston area. Hope you remain safe.

K, That's sad about your cat. I hate to think about all the animals in the flood. I can't imagine what this is going to do to the businesses in the area. Groceries? I don't know how much of Houston will be functional.

I'm so sorry about your cat! Praying and thinking of ya'll in Texas. I'm glad that ya'll are still keeping us updated.

Kaleidoscope, I am so sorry for the loss of your kitty! What a time. My heart goes out to you!

Brittie, I am so relieved to hear from you! I have been wondering how you are. I know you live with health issues, so please take care of yourself. Thinking of you and sending hopes that you and yours stay safe!

Carol

It's heart-breaking to watch the flooding on TV, and I hope everyone stays safe. Kaleidoscope, I'm so sorry about your kitty. Our animals are family and it's so painful to lose them. I'm afraid it will be a long and arduous process to recover from this horrific event.

Kaleidoscope I'm sorry to hear about your cat. Y'all be careful in the water and I hope it stays out of your home. I walked thru a ball of fire ants when our house flooded in 94, it was dark outside and I couldn't see them, I was carrying clothes to our neighbors home that wasn't flooded, it wasn't fun lol. Prayers to you and your family and hope your animals are safe as well.

Brittie glad to hear your doing well and I pray it continues to stay that way for you and your family.

Needsmore hope y'all are doing ok this morning with no flooding.

We had a break in the rain yesterday and that helped our neighborhood ditches to drain but it started raining last night and is still going strong. Spent half the night watching for rising water and will continue to do so all day.

Stay safe everyone! And prayers for all the first responders and citizens helping in recovery and rescue.

Kaleidoscope, I am so sorry. Just awful :(

It rained all night, and we are probably up to 25" of rain, but we are on a hill. I don't expect us to get water in the house. If we do, we'll ALL need an ark! I have reports this morning of friends stuck on the 2nd floor. My husband is pacing around wishing he had a boat to help.

Thank you for all the warm responses everyone. Luckily our house still hasn't flooded (hopefully it won't) and we still have electricity. What is bad is we are running low on food and most stores are closed,and the ones that are open are out of many things....and the trucks obviously cant make it in to make deliveries.Whats crazy is there is more rain every day for the rest of the week. I've already seen bridges that are impassible,sink holes,and parts of roads washing away.I have been feeling like I have been on the verge of an anxiety/panic attack since this started on Friday.Its only been 3 days yet it feels like a lifetime already.

Needmoremulch, thank you so much for posting this thread and regular updates and replies as you are able. I'm relieved your house isn't taking on water. This rainfall is unprecedented! Like you and your husband, I wish I could help the overworked rescue teams. I'm watching Internet news alongside Ingrid and others across the country, including family members in TX who live north of the flooding.

Kaleidoscope and Boncrow, those fire ant flotillas are no joke! In addition to cotton mouth snakes and alligators. Someone posted an image of a shark on a flooded Houston highway. One would think it's a joke, but anything is possible in TX, right? A desperate bull shark carried inland? Please stay as safe as you can while you navigate through the crazy world around you!

I hope the rain stops very, very soon. Hold on and keep heart! Your rose community is counting down the days alongside you. Carol

The shark thing is fake, but the fire ant mounds and snakes are certainly not. What a mess.

I'm also holding New Orleans and other LA residents in my thoughts! Carol

The Addicks Reservoir dam is being overtopped - a first in history. They had been controlled-releasing water to prevent dam failure, but I guess they just couldn't keep up with the rain. Pray for that situation if you are so inclined! Very dangerous.

Yes prayers for that situation. This whole thing has been catastrophic and I'm praying for everyone. We are having rain and flooding in historic proportions.

praying for ya'll still, hope that dam holds..

FWIW here's a NYT link to legit organizations that are accepting donations to help those afflicted by Harvey. I donated to Americares; they have a good reputation.

Virginia

We live in Fort Bend County. We had to finally leave last night. The water was going to submerge our breaker box several ft off the ground. Had to float the dogs out to the road in an ice chest.we went to San Antonio to a friends house.

Kaleidoscope - so glad you are out of there, with your pets. It appears that the water will continue to rise for several days even after it stops raining. Perhaps then a dove will show up....

Jackie

Kaleidoscope, I'm so sorry the floodwaters reached that critical level in your home. I was hoping that you'd be spared! As Jackie noted, the flood level is continuing to rise, so I fear others will be following. I've never seen anything like this in TX! Your resourcefulness is inspiring, makeshift ice chest boat to rescue your dogs. I send deepest wishes for the smoothest transition possible as you relocate to temporary housing at your friends' home. Please update us as you can. With care and concern, Carol

I am so glad you got out of Ft Bend County safely. The news from there today had just been terrible.

When I lived in Houston, I lived just below Barker Dam and worked below Addicks. Today, I pretty much heard the subdivision names of all my friends called as 'evacuate' now .

watching from afar is painful. It brings back memories of the little floods we had. And of my cat chosing to drink water from the dining room carpet instead of her water bowl.

So many of us who lived and worked in Houston have our thoughts watching Texas and Louisiana and hoping for good things.

We had an old fashioned prayer meeting her in PA tonight and we prayed for everyone in Texas. Somehow hearing your stories helps me understand a little of what it must feel like to be caught in the middle of this.

I'm glad you're safe, kaleidoscope, and hope the same is true of the other Texas forum members posting here. I hope that Texas will take a long hard look at the disaster afterward and try to figure out how to avoid a repetition.

Holding everyone on the TX Louisiana border in my thoughts! I wish could do more than watch from across the country. Carol

I'm in the Beaumont area and it's devestating. A few more inches and it will be in my home. Praying for this rain to stop! Port Arthur is completed flooded and the nursing home my daughter works at is completely under and patients are being rescued today. Shelters have flooded and the people in the shelters relocated to make shift shelters. People that have never flooded have water up to the roofs of their homes. The people that are here helping with water rescues are heroes. I feel totally overwhelmed and helpless. I slept in my rain boots lol. I will be glad when this is over so that I can get out and help my family and friends that have lost their homes. The whole coast of Texas will take years to recover from this catastrophe.

i posted this in another thread too. So far my house has been spared but so many have not. My heart is breaking. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

This was something no one was expecting and no way to prepare for days and days of unrelenting historic rainfall. The first responders are amazing as well as the citizens that are helping.

Kaleidescooe I am so glad to hear that you made it out ok and are safe in San Antonio.

I noticed that one of my rose bushes is blooming submerged in water lol and Needsmore we have hummingbirds flying around too.

Just saw a very sad occurrence of six people killed in a van, and I hope you'll all be very careful when getting around, if you even can. I can't even imagine the anxiety and depression that so many must be feeling, especially as there seems to be no end in sight for this megastorm. I'm afraid there is no way this could have been prevented since so much of the cause involves global warming, and in the end we're helpless against these events, even though we have caused them. We in the U.S. have been one of the worst contributors to pollution that causes global warming, but to see all this suffering is awful, and it is the politicians I blame, not these people and their children and animals who are going through this nightmare.

I just read in disbelief that some House politicians have voted to cut almost a million dollars in the new budget from disaster relief to help pay for the Wall!!! I am in total shock.

Edited: boncrow, we posted at the same time and saw your heartbreaking message after I submitted mine. There are no words to tell you how sorry I am, nothing that will do justice to what you and so many others are going through, but I write this with tears in my eyes. All we can do is give whatever we can to help in the relief effort, and to keep you all in our hearts. May you stay safe.