Death and despair as Hurricane Harvey tears across Texas

A WOMAN died in flooding as the strongest hurricane in 13 years brought torrential rains to Texas. 

A state of emergency has been declared in Houston, where the victim got caught in severe floods in the city’s west side. At least 50 counties across the Lone Star State has declared a state of disaster. 

More than 1,000 people were rescued in the US’s fourth-largest city early on Sunday morning (August 27)

State governor Greg Abbott told media “there is potential for very dramatic flooding”. More than a metre of rainfall could wreak havoc in the worst hit areas in just a few days. 

The first known victim of Harvey was an individual in the small town of Rockport killed by a house fire in the hurricane’s aftermath. 

Winds have slowed down to 80mph, making floods the central concern of emergency relief services. 

Catastrophic flooding in Houston