Harvey

[ny biker]

The flooding in Texas from this hurricane is unreal. I hope anyone here who is in the path of the storm is okay.

[north woods gal]

Me, too. Have a brother down in Austin. The storm's been downgraded and it's now just all the rain and flooding. He's in no immediate danger in that regard, though.

[ny biker]

So much rain! I just read 20-30 inches already and it may only be halfway finished. The photos are incredible -- flood waters up to a stop sign on a runway at Hobby Airport, and almost as high as exit signs on a highway. And a photo of seniors in a nursing home, sitting in waist-deep water. I can't imagine what it must be like.

First responders who are specially trained in swift water rescue are on their way now from my area, and from others around the country. I'm actually surprised that they didn't deploy sooner.

Glad your brother is okay.

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ETA: I just read that all 28 of FEMA's urban search and rescue teams have been deployed -- for the first time since 9/11.

Beyond the immediate effects, the risk to life and health and the need to feed and house so many who have been flooded out of their homes, it will take so long to clean up and get people's lives back to normal. It's so terrible when storms like this happen.

[rebeccaC]

The physical, financial and emotional aspect, especially for the elderly, disabled and poor, can be overwhelming in disasters like this. My prayers for a strength of spirit to help get through the immediate and aftermath

We also made donations today to the Houston Food Bank and Portlight, which does wonderful work in giving needed assistance to those with disabilities and the vulnerable elderly during disasters.

[Jean_TZ]

Me, too. Have a brother down in Austin. The storm's been downgraded and it's now just all the rain and flooding. He's in no immediate danger in that regard, though.

The whole Austin area is doing relatively well - pretty much just the overflowing of the usual creeks and the usual road crossings. Of course, the rivers and lakes will will be overflowing for a while.

I used to live in Houston and flooding is a way of life there. But I've never seen anything like this current flooding. My heart goes out to them...

[Catrin]

To have this devastation come only 12 years after Katrina and Rita... I cannot imagine what it must be like to live through something like this. My prayers for all impacted, which is probably a much larger number than they yet know.

[rebeccaC]

Alex found out a good friend has 4 ft of water in her house in Houston...most likely with more to come. Even though they are exhausted, and scared, she, her partner and their pets are safe, dry, and staying with a friend after a boat rescue. I can't imagine going through something like what so many are because of harvey.

[azfiddle]

I can't even imagine it.... I made a donation to one of the general charity funds listed on CNN. This will take years. And being firmly convinced of the evidence for global climate change, I think we will continue to see more and more extreme weather events taking place.