HOUSTON (WCMH/AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster for 30 counties in Texas in anticipation of the landfall of Tropical Depression Harvey.
Abbott said the declaration includes: Aransas, Austin, Bee, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Brazoria, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Harris, Jackson, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Liberty, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Waller, Wharton and Wilson counties.
The governor said he also ordered the State Operations Center to elevate its readiness level in preparation for the storm.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that Harvey is likely to intensify as it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and deliver heavy rain to parts of eastern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches are expected over the middle and upper Texas coast and southwest Louisiana through next Tuesday. The center has announced a hurricane watch for the Texas coast from north of San Luis Pass to High Island, and warns of possibly dangerous flooding.
At 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Harvey was located 470 miles southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas. It was moving northwest at about 9 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.STORIES OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON-
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