Houston Flood

that is heartbreaking.

I have friends in The Heights/Timbergrove who report no problems -- yet.

Nursing homes were the worst situations in Katrina, as well. 32 drowned in place at St. Rita's, 22 died at Lafon. On the other hand, 24 nursing home residents burned to death evacuating from Rita. It's rough being old in a society that cherishes the nuclear family above all.

You'd think a place called The Heights would avoid flooding. I guess if it goes under, all Houston would, too.

Surreal, but a lot of boats in action:

Astounding video shows numerous boats maneuvering around stranded vehicles on flooded street in Dickinson, Texas. https://t.co/YGP3fEVW8t pic.twitter.com/LHM5SbVftF

— Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) August 27, 2017

like maybe consider a plan for evacuation that has a longer timeline than telling people to flee hours ahead of the storm

The problem was there wasn't much more of a lead on this storm. It didn't become a thing until mid-week, and even then for Houston all that was expected was feeder band rain that was somewhat less than what was ultimately delivered. This storm really blew up at the last possible minutes.

The Heights actually are higher in elevation than downtown Houston, just... not by much.

As for evacuation, I don't trust my opinions on whether that should have been done or not. The Houston metro area has about six million residents... an evacuation order there is a kind of man-made disaster that will also cause a lot of death and destruction. It's not a matter of "evacuate everyone just to be safe". Officials are choosing between two different kinds of disasters, one of which is an unpredictable storm. Back on Wednesday, when an evacuation order would have been effective, Harvey just didn't look like it looks now. It wasn't even a tropical storm at that point.

NY Times photographer making sure to stay aspirational:

The scene right now in Houston's Galleria neighborhood. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/gxQLL1DP6B

— julieturkewitz (@julieturkewitz) August 27, 2017

The problem was there wasn't much more of a lead on this storm. It didn't become a thing until mid-week, and even then for Houston all that was expected was feeder band rain that was somewhat less than what was ultimately delivered. This storm really blew up at the last possible minutes.

― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, August 27, 2017 3:54 PM (four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this does not at all square with a lot of predictions i was seeing

also mid week is many days ago

i mean how long do you need 24 hours 48 hours do they have a plan even

people just going along with this helpless schtick from a government that has done everything it can to make flooding more dangerous seems pretty dumb

their argument will be that nothing couldve been done and people seem pretty primed to accept that

I think the right question is what is the president going to do to keep the hurricane safe from Texas. Texas don’t play. https://t.co/uNuFmk4xaE

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) August 25, 2017

hell yes erick² texas don't need no gubmint

ive brandished my sidearm at the storm everything is taken care of

Erick E. is safe in Georgia. I think he may be misjudging the mood among east Texans.

ive brandished my sidearm at the storm everything is taken care of

― lag∞n, Sunday, August 27, 2017 3:55 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

http://i.imgur.com/0ZmSoFC.png

"come into my backyard..."

it's already horrifying and unbelievable and i can't believe it's going to continue raining torrentially for another 4-5 days. those photos of highways turned into rivers and lakes look like The Day After Tomorrow. so many people are going to die, even more are going to lose their homes & all material possessions, and the city will be completely devastated. i remember the clusterfuck of the Rita evacuation & it seems like a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation - it really is picking one disaster over another.

its a good thing this isnt releasing for a month and a half or so

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostorm

wow i'd never heard of that movie until now, comes out in less than 2 months & i think this storm is going to leave Houston and a lot of Texas fucked up for a long time so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets pulled like a lot of movies did in the fall/winter of 2001 (also lol looks like it's already been delayed for nearly 2 years).

really hoping the roof rescues are able to get a significant number of people out (something like 1,200 already?). fear that they're going to be too overwhelmed.

NBC news just showed people setting up tents on roofs in Dickinson with National Guard copters flying above.

Might need to evacuate some of those Houston folks to New Orleans.

i remember the clusterfuck of the Rita evacuation & it seems like a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation - it really is picking one disaster over another.

― flappy bird, Sunday, August 27, 2017 6:01 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the great sigh of limited government

maybe after this is all settled down we can have a week where we just talk about infrastructure

Bush during Rita:

[Removed Illegal Image]

My friend's aunt just got rescued by relatives who inflated a raft to get across the entrance to her house

really gonna put a damper on Astros playoff run

(sorry, gallows humor)

A couple of reservoir are getting released slowly tomorrow...Mandatory evacuations and estimed two months of water going into neighboring homes.

http://m.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Harvey-flooding-forces-release-from-Addicks-and-12035928.php?cmpid=fb-desktop

VITAL LINE OF DEFENSE: Addicks and Barker were built to protect the heart of the city by controlling the flow of water along Buffalo Bayou. Things haven't gone as planned. What's at stake is the safety of the nation's fourth-largest city. If the dams failed, half of Houston would be underwater. Under the worst scenario at Addicks, property damages could reach $22.7 billion and 6,928 people could die.

Trash pandas know the drill:

https://i.redditmedia.com/JY_h8axeL_Tndw4VJjodd59saUsX0m-Q1ddBvQOtpgE.jpg

https://i.redd.it/e1ju7ioylciz.jpg

The Barker Dam used to be right outside the city limits on the west side, we went there to buy fireworks from the stands on Highway 6 and set them off on top of the dam. Need to talk to my dad and see if he'll need to evacuate before they release water from it and the bayou floods. Was expecting it with this kind of rainfall.

The dams seem safe. The Corps of Engineers has done a lot in the past decade to stabilize the levees and culverts.

The problem is well downstream. The Addicks and Barker Dams did their job in delaying watershed rainfall from flowing downstream, but they're nearly full. Addicks water levels, Barker water levels. They must release tonight to ensure they have some reserve capacity for projected rainfall. This means an increment to tonight's rainfall driven flooding downstream, but its more a matter of elevation than proximity to the dams.

On those links: seems Harris County Flood Control District's website has gone down, for the moment at least.

if yall havent donated yet:

http://www.portlight.org/home.html

Portlight works with people with disabilities and the elderly during disasters

Off shift to camp at office but as you see the fire hose is back on. Easily 2-4" an hour rain rates setting up. Stay put stay safe Houston. pic.twitter.com/CZMCUi74xC

— Scott Overpeck (@scottao11) August 28, 2017

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/326112492608815105/351548878593589258/unknown.png

This is what concerns me... my father's house is in that dark orange area just south of Buffalo Bayou.

Big bunch of dry air is eating up some of the feeders heading up into Houston.

Had no idea until reading this that Houston freeways are designed to flood and become temporary rivers during heavy rains, to save homes.

A Houston floodsplainer:
(caveat, I'm not a pro, just someone interested in how my city works. If a real pro finds an error, please LMK)

— Matt Corbett (@CorbettMatt) August 28, 2017

Would make late evacuations more difficult.

Loads of suburban evac orders (both mandatory and voluntary) coming down today.

The Corps of Engineers has done a lot in the past decade to stabilize the levees and culverts.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/27/hurricane-harvey-katrina-lessons-louisiana-215543

The Army Corps has a study of the problem underway, including a controversial proposal to build a 55-mile-long “coastal spine” of dune barriers and gates at the mouth of the Houston shipping channel. The soonest construction could possibly begin, according to the Corps: 2024

2015 article -- http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/the-problems-with-100-year-floods/

Since 2001, the region has been working fitfully on large-scale flood control projects, but those are now running seven years behind schedule

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/08/houston-needs-you-social-media-rains-scorn-on-joel-osteen-for-closing-megachurch-after-hurricane/#.WaREAIKY8Io.facebook

Joel Olsteen and his ilk preaching "prosperity gospel" are one of the reasons evangelicals supported Trump. "If you're rich, you must be virtuous". Though I'm undecided whether he or his congregation deserves more contempt.

well he does obv. might be a smart conman but he's still taking advantage of vulnerable/stupid people

Meantime, Joel Osteen has been hammered for the past two days for not opening his megachurch as a shelter. So of course he posts this instead.

Our hearts break as we see the damage and destruction in our city. Please join us in helping Houston recover. Visit https://t.co/jXMX5VB3qS pic.twitter.com/00HtzOmeQL

— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017

Crisp colors!

http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2017/08/obama_trump_harvey_katrina.html

― Glengarry Glen Marshall (Old Lunch), Thursday, August 31, 2017

I had to take this screenshot when I followed this link earlier today. The juxtaposition of ads against the text is - the right word escapes me

http://i.imgur.com/tntPQgU.jpg

lol iphone screengrab is hueg

Have eyes on the Galleria Zone D'Erotica rn.

So Imelda...many North & Eastside suburbs and communities are getting continuing rains that have already lapped what they got in Harvey.

Seems like a bad place for a city, in the post polar vortex world.

Got a river running outside my window rn. Rain has slowed down significantly tho.

i had to take shelter at my brother’s place on my way home. lots and lots of stranded cars and people who are leaving cars on curbs and medians to find a place to wait it out

Stuck at work. Kids are stuck at school. It is a weird feeling when children are inaccessible.

my friends are all sending pics of their sandbagged front doors... this sure happened quickly! be safe Houstonian ILXors

yeah, kids in remote locations is unnerving. i don’t have any of my own but the nephews and niece are all accounted for and in good hands.

HISD is deservedly gonna catch hell for not cancelling classes today.