Hurricane Harvey: Evacuations Begin In Gulf Coast Counties

GALVESTON COUNTY, TX — The evacuations have begun in some communities along the Texas Gulf Coast, with residents being advised to leave areas of Galveston and Brazoria County ahead of Hurricane Harvey's arrival.

Hurricane Harvey became a Category 1 hurricane early Thursday, and is expected to intensity into a Category 3 storm by the time it makes landfall late Friday. (Want to get daily updates about Hurricane Harvey and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Clear Lake Patch morning newsletter.)

On Thursday morning, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry issued a voluntary evacuation order for those with medical needs for areas of Port Isabel, Bolivar Peninsula and High Island, effective Friday morning at 8 a.m.

The National Weather Service predicts more than a foot of rain, with some isolated areas expecting up to 20 inches of rainfall.

High tides and wind gusts could hinder transportation away from the island, KPRC reported.

Cities nearby, such as Dickinson and Seabrook, also issued voluntarily evacuation orders.

Officials in Chambers County also issued voluntary evacuation orders that go into effect Friday morning.

Meanwhile, Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta has issued a Mandatory Evacuation order for coastal communities along the Gulf side of the Intracoastal canal.

According to the Ready Harris website, the National Weather Service is now predicting a 6-10 foot storm surge in Brazoria County coastal areas, which prompted the order.

Farther south along the coast, residents in Matagorda and Calhoun counties have also issued a mandatory evacuation order.

Residents who ignore the mandatory order will be out of reach of emergency responders and will be unable to call for help, KHOU reported.

Image: Jo Naylor via Flickr Commons

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