The Great Houston Flood continues. Though rainfall has slackened, many parts of Houston are still flooded.
Major items:
Water levels in the Addicks and Barker reservoirs reached record levels early Tuesday, said Jeff Lindner, Meteorologist at Harris County Flood Control District.
Water in the Addicks Reservoir reached 108 feet early Tuesday, causing it to flow over the top of the spillway.
The overflowing reservoir comes days after authorities announced controlled releases of water from both of the inundated dams.
Officials with the Army Corps of Engineers expect the Barker Reservoir will also have uncontrolled releases in the coming days. Uncontrolled releases from both dams are expected to flow into Buffalo Bayou and increase the waterway’s already high levels.
The water spilling out of the Addicks Reservoir Tuesday morning will likely reach subdivisions north of Tanner, left of west Eldridge Parkway to West Little York, and over to Beltway 8, Lindner said.
Affected subdivisions include:
Twin Lakes
Eldridge Park
Lakes on Eldridge
Lakes on Eldridge North
Independence Farms
Tanner Heights
Heritage Business Park
Update: Breaking news:
#BREAKING: Levee at Columbia Lakes breached in Brazoria Co. | 'Get out now,' officials say https://t.co/QnrjQL7hAH #HarveyFlood pic.twitter.com/ooto2wDuRg
— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) August 29, 2017
Update 2
Houston police officer drowns in Harvey flood waters:
The officer, an HPD veteran who has been with the department for more than 30 years, was in his patrol car driving to work downtown Sunday morning when he got trapped in high water at I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road.
Search and rescue crews are currently recovering his body. The department has not yet formally notified the officer’s family.
Hence the lack of a name at this point.
“The officer’s death is the 15th fatality in Texas claimed by Hurricane Harvey.”
Update 3
Bridge collapse in east Houston:
ALERT from @HCSOTexas: Bridge over Greens Bayou collapse at Woodforest Blvd and Normandy, near Cloverleaf area
— Harris County OHSEM (@ReadyHarris) August 29, 2017
I think this is the bridge:
Update 4
HPD officer who drowned today identified as Sergeant Steve Perez:
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the tragic in the line of duty death of Sergeant Steve Perez. pic.twitter.com/cHJxjnFgII
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) August 29, 2017
Update 5
Some insight into the scope of the problem:
3:49 p.m.: How much of Harris County is actually covered by water?
According to meteorologist Jeff Lindner, between 20 and 30 percent of Harris County is under water as of Tuesday afternoon.
Harris County is 1,777 square miles. Let’s take the low end of Lindner’s estimation — 20 percent. That would be 355.4 square miles.
Or:
Bigger than the entire city of Austin.
Bigger than 15 times the size of Manhattan, which is about 23 square miles.
Bigger than 7 times the size of San Francisco, which is about 47 square miles.
University of Tampa associate professor fired for saying Hurricane Harvey was ‘karma’ for Texas voting for Trump. Which I’m sure went over really well in another Hurricane-prone state that also voted for Trump…
Update 6
Houston death toll now stands at 24.
The convention center is full of storm refugees, so they’re opening up the Toyota Center and NRG Stadium.