Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. ||||| Challenge 
 
 Record-breaking flooding is occurring in Houston and the surrounding areas. Torrential rainfall continues to threaten homes and lives along the Gulf Coast. Several of GlobalGiving's local nonprofit partners are responding to survivors' immediate needs and have asked us to help fund their relief and recovery efforts on the ground. 
 
 Solution 
 
 All donations to this fund will support recovery and relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey. Initially, the fund will help first responders meet survivors' immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products, and shelter. Once initial relief work is complete, this fund will transition to support longer-term recovery efforts run by local, vetted organizations in the Gulf Coast. 
 
 Long-Term Impact 
 
 We believe that organizations that are deeply-rooted in local communities are in the best position to provide long-term support for survivors of natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey. By funding the relief efforts of local organizations, donations to this fund have the potential to build stronger response capacity so that these organizations are better equipped to face future challenges. GlobalGiving will post reports about how funds have been used and will email these reports to donors. 
 
 Additional Documentation 
 
 This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf). 
 
 Resources ||||| Neighbors used their personal boats to rescue Jane Rhodes, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Friendswood, Texas. Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday night as the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more... (Associated Press) 
 
 Neighbors used their personal boats to rescue Jane Rhodes, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Friendswood, Texas. Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday night as the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade. By Saturday afternoon it had been downgraded into a tropical storm, but it had dumped... (Associated Press) 
 
 CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Tropical Storm Harvey (all times local): 
 
 4:55 p.m. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center is urging residents in southeast Texas to stay put as Harvey inches south on a track that forecasters say will bring it back into the Gulf of Mexico for some slight strengthening before returning into Texas again. 
 
 Harvey continues to be a tropical storm with 40 mph winds. In its late afternoon update Sunday, the center forecasts Harvey will reach the coast late Monday and spend much of Tuesday over water, where it could increase wind strength to 45 mph (72 kph). 
 
 Forecasters think Harvey will come inland Wednesday with a path over Houston by the afternoon and then diminish in strength as it heads deeper into Texas and northern Louisiana. 
 
 ___ 
 
 4:30 p.m. 
 
 The evacuation of Houston's main public hospital hasn't begun yet because it is surrounded by waist-deep water as a result of Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 Bryan McLeod is a spokesman for Harris Health System. He said Sunday that minor flooding in the basement of Ben Taub Hospital and a busted sewer pipe forced officials to close the kitchen. McLeod says the flooding resulted in only a small amount of water in the basement and did not affect the hospital's power supply. But shutting down the kitchen leaves the hospital with a limited supply of dry food for patients. 
 
 McLeod says the evacuations won't start until the water recedes from around the facility and will likely take several days. The hospital is part of the Texas Medical Center, and has 350 patients. 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:50 p.m. 
 
 Nearly a quarter of Texas' population lives in areas covered by a federal disaster declaration as a result of Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 Gov. Greg Abbott says 18 counties are now covered by the disaster declaration approved by President Donald Trump. There are nearly 7 million people in those counties, including the nation's fourth-largest city of Houston. Texas has a population of 27.8 million. 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:45 p.m. 
 
 Police say a sinkhole has opened on a Texas highway about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey dumps more rain on the region. 
 
 Rosenberg police on Sunday tweeted a photo of the gaping hole that spread across more than half of a two-lane highway — Farm-to-Market 762. 
 
 Water could be seen filling the sinkhole as pieces of highway asphalt hung from the edge of the damaged roadway. 
 
 Rosenberg police did not immediately provide additional details on the sinkhole, other than urging drivers to avoid the area. Police cars blocked off the highway. 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:30 p.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump will travel to hurricane-ravaged Texas on Tuesday. 
 
 White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tells reporters the White House is still coordinating logistics with state and local officials. 
 
 She adds: "We continue to keep all of those affected in our thoughts and prayers." 
 
 Tropical Storm Harvey sent devastating floods pouring into Houston on Sunday. Rising water chased some people to rooftops or higher ground and overwhelmed rescuers. 
 
 Trump has been praising the government's response to the storm on Twitter. 
 
 He tweeted earlier Sunday that he would be traveling to Texas as soon as he could go "without causing disruption." 
 
 He said: "The focus must be life and safety." 
 
 ___ 
 
 3 p.m. 
 
 An official says all 22 of Harris County's watersheds have spilled over their banks due to Tropical Storm Harvey. Watersheds are creeks and bayous that take water away from the Houston area and eventually drain it into Galveston Bay. 
 
 Harris County Flood Control District Meteorologist Jeff Lindner says over half of the watersheds are experiencing record flooding. 
 
 Lindner said even with the rain starting to decrease a little bit, the sheer volume of water that has fallen is going to take time to run off. 
 
 He says it may take until Sunday night or well into Monday or even Tuesday "to get the water out of these areas that have been impacted so hard." 
 
 ___ 
 
 2:30 p.m. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says that the number of counties declared federal disaster areas from Tropical Storm Harvey and its aftermath has increased to 18. 
 
 Abbott said Sunday 12 counties have been added to an earlier federal disaster list of six. He said President Donald Trump has approved the increase in counties. 
 
 Also, 50 counties have already been declared state disaster zones, 30 earlier in the week and 20 on Saturday. Abbott says the counties under the federal and state declarations include Harris County, which encompasses Houston and has been experiencing severe flooding from torrential rains. 
 
 ___ 
 
 2:20 p.m. 
 
 Several hundred people have arrived at the downtown convention center the city of Houston has converted into a shelter after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey inundated much of the city. 
 
 Ken Sandy has been designated shelter manager by the Red Cross. He said Sunday that his volunteers are prepared for 1,000 people at the George R. Brown Convention Center, and the center is big enough for them to expand if necessary. The center has 1.8 million square feet (0.17 million sq. meters) of space. 
 
 Volunteers are handing out towels to people entering the cavernous center. Cots have not yet arrived. 
 
 Authorities across Houston and surrounding Harris County are quickly opening shelters as the full toll of the flooding becomes clear and thousands of people evacuate their homes. 
 
 ___ 
 
 2:15 p.m. 
 
 A Harris County official is asking members of the public who have a boat or a high water vehicle to help with efforts to rescue Houston residents whose homes have flooded in the torrential rains brought by Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said at a news conference Sunday that the additional boats and vehicles that Texas is sending to the Houston area are not able to get to the area due to flooded roadways. He adds that vehicles the state previously sent are already being used to help rescue individuals. 
 
 Emmett, who oversees government operations in Harris County, where Houston is located, says, "We desperately need boats and high water vehicles ... We can't wait for assets to come from outside." 
 
 ___ 
 
 2 p.m. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says the state has now activated 3,000 National Guard and State Guard members as a result of severe damage and flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Along with the guard, he says 500 vehicles and 14 aircraft have been put into service. 
 
 Abbott said there are no 250 highway closures around Texas. 
 
 He spoke at a news conference at the state emergency response center in Austin. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1:35 p.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump met by teleconference Sunday with top administration officials as rescue workers continue to respond to rising flood waters from Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 The White House says Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, members of Trump's Cabinet and other senior officials discussed federal support for response and recovery efforts. 
 
 The White House says Trump stressed his expectation that "all departments and agencies stay fully committed to supporting the governors of Texas and Louisiana" and that his "number one priority of saving lives." 
 
 Rising floodwaters from Harvey have forced thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground in Houston, overwhelming rescuers. 
 
 Trump announced Sunday he's planning a trip to Texas soon 
 
 ___ 
 
 1:20 p.m. 
 
 Both major airports in Houston have been closed amid severe flooding blamed on Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 A Houston Airport System statement at midday Sunday said George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport are closed to commercial flights until further notice. 
 
 Officials say roads in and out of both airports are shut down due to flooding. 
 
 Hurricane Harvey made landfall late Friday night along the Texas coast about 230 miles southwest of Houston, but it wasn't until late Saturday night that what became Tropical Storm Harvey began bringing torrential rains causing flooding to the Houston area. 
 
 The airport system's website says Bush Intercontinental Airport is 23 miles north of downtown Houston and provides service via 29 passenger airlines. 
 
 Hobby Airport is 7 miles south of downtown Houston and is served by four passenger airlines. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1 p.m. 
 
 Many of the people arriving at the George R. Brown Convention Center, which has been opened as a shelter for people fleeing flooding, are from a public housing complex about a mile north. 
 
 Clayton Homes public housing complex is bounded on one side by Interstate 45 and the other by Buffalo Bayou, which has flooded heavily along with all of Houston's major waterways. Police are using boats to evacuate many of the residents and bring them to the convention center in pickup trucks. 
 
 D'Ona Spears and Brandon Polson walked with their five children Sunday, bags full of belongings, and their 7-year-old Chihuahua, Missy. They decided to leave once the water in the first story of their home reached their knees. 
 
 Spears says that when they made it to the convention center, they sent their children inside to eat, but stayed outside with their Chihuahua because animals were not allowed inside. 
 
 Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced earlier Sunday that the convention center would serve as a shelter for people fleeing the flooding. 
 
 ___ 
 
 12:40 p.m. 
 
 Harris County Judge Ed Emmett says that Ben Taub Hospital, the county's public hospital, is being evacuated because flooding problems in the basement are disrupting power service. 
 
 Emmett overseas government operations in Harris County where Houston is located. He tells a news conference that evacuated patients are being taken to other area hospitals. It was not immediately known how many patients were being moved. 
 
 ___ 
 
 12:30 p.m. 
 
 Coast Guard Capt. Kevin Oditt (OH'-dit) says helicopters have rescued more than 100 people in the Houston area as Tropical Storm Harvey floods numerous neighborhoods. 
 
 In a conference call Sunday with reporters, Oditt says Coast Guard personnel and aircraft from around the country have been dispatched to Texas. He says Texas Air National Guard choppers were also assisting with rescues. 
 
 Oditt says people facing rising floodwaters should not go into attics, since rescuers in the air cannot see them. The incident commander urged people who head to their rooftops to wave sheets, towels or anything else to attract the attention of helicopter crews. 
 
 Coast Guard helicopter crews along the southern portion of the Texas coast are reporting the rescue of almost 40 people, starting from the morning before Hurricane Harvey made landfall. That includes six people rescued from their home Saturday evening in the hard-hit city of Aransas Pass. Among them were three children, their two parents and an elderly woman who was in need of oxygen. 
 
 ___ 
 
 12:05 p.m. 
 
 The National Weather Service now says some parts of Houston and just west of the city may receive a Texas record of 50 inches (1270 millimeters) of rain as Tropical Storm Harvey stalls over Texas. 
 
 NWS meteorologist Patrick Burke says rainfall totals will end up around 40 inches (1016 millimeters) or more for Houston on average, but some isolated spots will hit or exceed 50 inches. 
 
 Burkes says, "We're in kind of unprecedented territory with this storm." 
 
 Local rainfall amounts of 50 inches would exceed any previous Texas rainfall record. The NWS says in a statement that "the breadth and intensity of this rainfall is beyond anything experienced before and is resulting in catastrophic flooding." 
 
 So far rainfall totals since Thursday evening have reached about 25 inches (635 millimeters) in south Houston. In Dayton, located 38 miles (61kilometers) northeast of Houston, rainfall has already reached 27 inches (685 millimeters). 
 
 ___ 
 
 11 a.m. 
 
 Residents of a South Texas city who evacuated before Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast as a hurricane are being warned not to return unless they bring their own food and water. 
 
 Officials with Victoria, about 90 miles north of Rockport, near where Harvey came ashore Friday night, said Sunday on Facebook that the city of 85,000 has no water service and limited power. 
 
 The statement says Harvey had a "devastating" impact on Victoria and it could be weeks before all electric service is restored. 
 
 The city statement says: "For those that decide to come back to Victoria, bring enough food and water to last three to four days. Be sure you have enough gas in your car to last several days. Be prepared for no electricity at your home for several days or weeks." 
 
 A mandatory evacuation was ordered for Victoria County, where the city is located. 
 
 Bryan Simons, spokesman for the Victoria County sheriff's office, says, "We've got widespread damage. Lots of trees down, power lines. We've got traffic lights missing and lots of debris." 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:30 a.m. 
 
 Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena says that since midnight his agency has responded to more than 2,500 emergency calls and another 1,000 calls are waiting to be serviced. 
 
 Pena says his agency has made more than 250 water rescues, all of them people in vehicles, during a three hour period overnight. 
 
 But Houston Assistant Police Chief Larry Satterwhite says there has been an increase in calls from residents with flooded homes in the city's northeast, southeast and southwest sections. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:15 a.m. 
 
 Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is defending his decision not to ask residents to evacuate before the heavy rain from Tropical Storm Harvey swamped roads and neighborhoods across the nation's fourth-largest city. 
 
 Turner says at a news conference Sunday that there was no way to pinpoint which neighborhoods would be worst hit. He says every neighborhood has received at least some flooding. 
 
 He says, "If you think the situation right now is bad and you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare." 
 
 Turner asked people to stay in their homes and not drive if at all possible. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena says authorities have made more than 250 vehicle rescues in the storm. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:05 a.m. 
 
 Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says emergency personnel have responded to more than 2,000 calls to 911 for rescues in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. He said priority was being given to life-threatening calls. 
 
 Turner also said at a news conference Sunday that he has ordered the downtown George R. Brown Convention Center opened as a shelter as floodwaters inundated much of the city. 
 
 Turner also urged people not to drive, as numerous streets and roadways in Houston, the nation's fourth largest city, were flooded Sunday. 
 
 The George R. Brown Convention Center has 1.8 million square feet of space. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:50 a.m. 
 
 A Catholic priest has used a kayak to get from his home in southeast Houston to higher ground and hoped to say Mass for people stranded on the streets. 
 
 Father David Bergeron says that he tried to buy some wine for Mass at a convenience store but couldn't because sales are prohibited in Texas on Sunday before noon. 
 
 Bergeron tells television station KTRK that: "this is how America was evangelized — by canoe." 
 
 He says that he is praying for people affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:40 a.m. 
 
 Staff at a Houston television station broadcasting live coverage of Tropical Storm Harvey had to evacuate after water from nearby flood-prone Buffalo Bayou started to gush into the building. 
 
 KHOU-TV tweeted images Sunday of water pushing through a front door and flooding the lobby. Other images showed sand bags placed against another door had failed to stop the water that was already ankle deep. 
 
 Floodwaters around 6:30 a.m. Sunday began seeping into the first-floor studio of KHOU, which is the CBS affiliate in the nation's fourth largest city. The anchors and news operations then moved to a second floor as live coverage of Harvey continued. 
 
 Later tweets say the station was being evacuated due to flooding. 
 
 The station last flooded in 2001 during Tropical Storm Allison. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:35 a.m. 
 
 Harris County sheriff's spokesman Jason Spencer says flooding throughout the county that includes Houston and the region is so widespread that it's "difficult to pinpoint the worst area." 
 
 He says authorities are prioritizing hundreds of phones calls for help to ensure life-and-death situations "are at the top of the list." 
 
 "It's heartbreaking," he says. 
 
 Spencer says the department has high-water vehicles and airboats but "certainly not enough." He says officials are encouraged that rescue teams from the National Guard and state agencies have also been deployed. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:25 a.m. 
 
 The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency says Hurricane Harvey is a "landmark event" and the federal agency will be in the areas worst affected "for years." 
 
 Brock Long says nearly 5,000 people from the federal government are doing search and rescue missions, helping to restore power and supporting what he calls "mass care missions." 
 
 Speaking Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Long said: "We expect a huge mass care mission today, of people flocking to shelters, if they can get to shelters." 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:15 a.m. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says that boats and helicopters are being deployed to help with swift-water rescues in the Houston area and parts of East Texas also facing flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 Abbott, appearing on "Fox News Sunday," said: "We're measuring rain these days not in inches but in feet." 
 
 He tells ABC's "This Week" that they "could not be more appreciative" of what the federal government and President Trump have done to help as Hurricane Harvey hit Texas. 
 
 Abbott said on CNN's "State of the Nation" he's talked to Trump several times and the head of FEMA. He says, "We've made multiple requests and we're getting absolutely everything we need." 
 
 Abbott said Harris County, which includes Houston, will soon be included in a federal disaster declaration as a result of Harvey. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:25 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says he will be traveling to Texas "as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption" in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 Trump tweeted that the "focus must be life and safety." 
 
 At least two people are dead and more than a dozen injured due to the storm that has battered the region, including the cities of Corpus Christi and Houston. 
 
 Trump has been complimenting the response to the storm on his Twitter feed, commending "Great coordination between agencies at all levels of government." 
 
 Trump adds that: "Many people are now saying that this is the worst storm/hurricane they have ever seen. Good news is that we have great talent on the ground." 
 
 The storm could linger for days in the region and could unload as much as 40 inches of rain on cities including Houston. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:15 a.m. 
 
 The U.S. Coast Guard says it's received more than 300 requests for urban search and rescue in the Houston area. 
 
 The Coast Guard has five helicopters working the emergency calls and is asking for additional helicopters from New Orleans to help. 
 
 Officials are advising people in dire straits to get to the roofs of their homes and mark them somehow to be seen from the air. They're suggesting people wave sheets or towels. 
 
 ___ 
 
 7:45 a.m. 
 
 Flooding in some parts of the county that includes the city of Houston is so bad that residents are being urged to seek refuge on their roofs. 
 
 Harris County Flood Control District official Jeff Lindner says people inundated by rising waters shouldn't crawl into attics of their homes but should get on top of them. 
 
 He says rainfall of more than 4 inches per hour has sent water higher than in recent Houston floods side and are exceeding levels seen in Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001. 
 
 Lindner says areas south of the city appear hard-hit and some flooding is reported in downtown Houston and in the Texas Medical Center, which was devastated in Allison. 
 
 He calls Harvey "a different animal" from Allison and a "historic situation." 
 
 He says he's most amazed that he's getting reports "of water into second-story of apartments and homes." Considering Houston's flat terrain, "it's very rare to get that depth of water." 
 
 ___ 
 
 6:20 a.m. 
 
 Authorities say rescue attempts continue in Houston for those stranded inside flooded homes and submerged vehicles in the wake of Harvey. 
 
 The Houston Chronicle reports that hundreds of calls have been fielded for water rescues as of early Sunday, including Houston police officials who evacuated two apartment complexes and rescued more than 50 children. 
 
 Meanwhile, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Sunday continued urging residents via Twitter to "shelter in place" and stay off rain-swollen roadways. 
 
 Gonzalez actively used Twitter overnight to field assistance for those trapped inside water-soaked homes, attics and vehicles. Those appealing for assistance or being steered to help via Gonzalez's Twitter feed included a person suffering "cardiac-arrest," and a woman who posted: "I have 2 children with me and the water is swallowing us up. Please send help." 
 
 Gonzalez at one point appealed for calm and patience, saying officials were "trying to make it to everyone as best we can." 
 
 Turner's official Twitter account said "911 services at capacity. If u can shelter in place do so, a few inches in your home is not imminent danger. Only call if in imminent danger." ||||| Hurricane Harvey: How to help victims of the Texas storm 
 
 Now Playing: 
 
 In the wake of Hurricane Harvey's massive flooding in Texas, victims are in need of relief and aid. Here are the organizations that are helping: 
 
 Local organizations 
 
 Where to donate: 
 
 Harris County Donation Hotline: 1-800-924-5985. Available 6 a.m. to midnight. 
 
 George R. Brown Convention Center, NRG Center, Toyota Center and BBVA Compass Stadium are no longer accepting donations from the public. The GRB Center is accepting corporate donations and is in serious need of the following supplies: bleach, buckets, containers to carry supplies, lip balm, Vaseline, work gloves, insect repellent, dusk masks, rakes, shovels, duct tape, tarps, trash bags, sunscreen. Corporations wishing to donate should contact Bill Kelly, Director of Government Affairs for Mayor Turner at Bill.Kelly@houstontx.gov 
 
 Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund: Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has set up this fund for tax-deductible flood relief monetary donations. It will be administered by the nonprofit Greater Houston Community Foundation. Click here 
 
 BakerRipley, the Houston community charity that is running the NRG Center shelter, is accepting monetary donations for the long-term recovery ahead. Click here. Donations of goods can be brought to World Harvest Outreach Seventh Day Adventist, 10800-A Scott Street, 77047. Contact: Pastor Kenneth Goodman (713-364-9763) 
 
 Currents needs include: non-perishables/ canned goods, infant formula, diapers, water, new women, children, men's underwear and socks. 
 
 Interfaith Ministries: This nonprofit that operates the city's Meals on Wheels program is in need of financial donations and additional volunteers. They specifically need donations of Ensure, walkers, wheelchairs, microwaves and shower chairs. They can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels, 3202 San Jacinto 77004. More info here. 
 
 Houston Food Bank helps provide meals for hungry neighbors in emergencies and all year round. To donate to the food bank, click here 
 
 Houston Furniture Bank provides furniture in need and is launching a special effort to help Harvey victims. They are accepting donations of furniture, especially mattresses, tables and chairs, call ahead before making a drop-off donation, at (713) 842-9771. Monetary donations are accepted at houstonfurniturebank.org. 
 
 United Way of Greater Houston has set up a relief fund that people can donate to. The organization said its first priority is shelter and basic needs like food. The organization said it will also focus on long-term recovery efforts. It also said that it will absorb administrative costs, so 100 percent of every donation goes directly to relief. 
 
 Houston Children's Charity is teaming up with the Astros shortstop Carlos Correa to raise $500,000 to provide displaced children with beds. Click here to learn more and to donate. 
 
 BARC Animal Shelter is taking donations — the shelter is closed for Labor Day and will resume regular operations Tuesday, Sept. 5. 
 
 Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Rosenberg is serving residents of Fort Bend, Wharton and other surrounding areas devastated by Harvey with hot meals, groceries, cleaning supplies and help applying for assistance. They are requesting monetary assistance. To help, call the church office at 281-232-5113. 
 
 Holy Family Catholic Church at 2011 Briar Ln, Wharton, TX 77488 needs supplies for its shelter. They especially need wooden pallets. 
 
 UPDATE Sept. 4: -Holy Family Roman Catholic Church is no longer accepting donations. They ask that you now send donations to East Gate New Prosperity Baptist Church in Wharton and Greater New Prospect Baptist Church in Needville. 
 
 Star of Hope: The local faith-based homeless shelter is accepting monetary donations to help its community cope with the disaster. Click here to donate. 
 
 The South East Texas Regional Advisory Council needs medical supplies. For how and what to donate, contact adunn@americares.org. They are also accepting monetary donations here. 
 
 LGBTQ Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Fund: Donations will help LGBTQ community members displaced by the story. The fund is managed by the Montrose Center. To donate to the relief fund, click here 
 
 Avenue CDC: A local nonprofit working to build affordable housing in Houston will help rebuild in the aftermath of the storms. Click here 
 
 I Have Food I Need Food is a collaborative of many Houston chefs, restaurant owners, suppliers, and volunteers who are sourcing and preparing food to distribute to storm victims across the region. Commercial kitchens and licensed caters can register to donate here 
 
 Pets affected by Hurricane Harvey are being taken in by animal shelters across Texas, including the SPCA of Texas, Austin Pets Alive and the San Antonio Humane Society. The Houston Humane Society is also available, with limited staff. For Habitat for Horses, donate here 
 
 HISD Foundation: Help HISD students and families in need of storm relief. Click here 
 
 Houston ISD is accepting donations Saturday at Delmar Fieldhouse, 2020 Mangum, Houston, TX 77092, 8 a.m. til 5 p.m. Enter the complex on Mangum and follow the signs. 
 
 The district is accepting donations of the following new, unused items: undergarments, socks, uniforms, deodorant, hand sanitizer, pillows, blankets, shoes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, other hygiene items, professional dress for impacted staff 
 
 Sept. 5-8 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., donations will be accepted at Delmar Fieldhouse, 2020 Mangum, Houston, TX 77092; Butler Stadium, 13755 Main St., Houston, TX 77035; and Barnett Stadium, 6800 Fairway, Houston, TX 77087. Starting Sept. 11, Delmar Feildhouse will accept donations during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
 
 Fort Bend ISD has teamed up with businesses and organizations to set up several donation collection and distribution sites. They are accepting bedding, toiletries, school uniforms and non-perishable food items, among other things. For a list of where to donate, click here 
 
 Fort Bend ISD Foundation is accepting monetary donations to aid teachers and students impacted by the storm, click here 
 
 KIPP Houston Public Schools has set up a Family Emergency Fund to help students, staff and their families who have been affected by Harvey. Click here 
 
 Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: For donations call 1-800-924-5985. For volunteer opportunities call 281-656-1533 or visit volunteerhouston.org 
 
 The Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce has set up a donation fund to support African-American businesses affected by Hurricane Harvey. Check donations can be made payable to GHBC Foundation, 4828 Loop Central Drive, Suite 100, Houston, TX, 77081 
 
 Brazoria County Recovery Fund, set up by Brazoria County Office of Emergency Management, will help the county with run shelters in the county and in neighboring Fort Bend County. Click here 
 
 MC-CARES, a partnership of Interfaith of The Woodlands and United Way, has announced five donation collection sites in Montgomery County. These Hubs are prepared to accept donations. The following items are most needed: baby food, baby formula, diapers, new undergarments, hygiene products, water, squeeze pouch fruit and vegetables, easy open canned fruit and vegetables, pasta and convenience meals, granola bars, toilet paper, paper towels, mops, brooms, garbage bags, towels, and blankets. The hubs are as follows: 
 
 Central Montgomery County: 
 
 Crisis Assistance Center – 1022 McCall Ave. Conroe, TX 77301, Phone: 936-539-1096 
 
 Falcon Steel America – 3575 Pollok Dr., Conroe, TX 77303 
 
 South Montgomery County: 
 
 Interfaith of The Woodlands – 4242 Interfaith Way, The Woodlands, TX 77381, Phone: 281- 367-1230 
 
 St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Parish – 7801 Bay Branch Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77382 
 
 East Montgomery County: 
 
 Mission Northeast – 22098 Loop 494 New Caney, TX 77357, Phone: 281-354-1200 
 
 Westbury Baptist Church, 10425 Hillcroft, will serve as a drop-off and distribution site for supplies needed by those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Please visit their website for a list of needed items. Hours are 9 am to 7 pm. 
 
 Jewish Community Center, 5601 S. Braeswood, although impacted by the storm, will be distributing supplies and accepting donations for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Hours are Thursday-Sunday (Aug. 31-Sept. 3) from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the J's Tennis Center. Enter off of Atwell and exit Braeswood. For a list of needs, click here 
 
 UPDATE Sept. 4: The Jewish Community Center is no longer accepting supplies. Those signed up for their assistance program can pick up supplies at the Tennis Center. 
 
 Westbury Christian Church and School, 10420 Hillcroft, on Friday, Sept. 1, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Westbury Christian School and Westbury Church of Christ will be accepting donations of specific items (see their website for details) at the McCloy Gymnasium located at 10420 Hillcroft (west end of south parking lot). On Saturday, September 2, WCS and Church will organize and distribute supplies. For more information and a list of needs, click here 
 
 Lone Star Convention Center 9055 Airport Road, Conroe 77303, is serving as a shelter and needs cots and bedding, coloring books, crayons and basketballs for the many children there. 
 
 UPDATE Sept. 4: Lone Star Convention Center is redirecting donations to their warehouse (3575 Pollok Dr. in Conroe.) Immediate needs include cleaning supplies and women's pants/shirts size 4x. They are open Monday, Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
 
 Lord of Life Lutheran Church 3801 S Panther Creek Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77381 is collecting clothing, cleaning supplies, toiletries. 
 
 UPDATE Sept. 4: Lord of Life Lutheran Church is no longer accepting anything other than cleaning supplies. They are overwhelmed with clothes. 
 
 The Montgomery County Food Bank will be accepting mass quantity food, personal care items and toiletries at: One Food for Life Way, Conroe, TX 77385 Phone: 936-539-6686 (GPS will recognize- 1 Prospect Point Conroe, TX 77385) 
 
 Monetary donations to help Montgomery County-wide flood recovery efforts can be directed to: United Way- 1600 Lake Front Circle Ste. 248, The Woodlands, TX 77380 Phone: 281-292- 4155 
 
 Holy Name Catholic Church: This Woodland Heights church, 1920 Marion, is open to shelter evacuees. They are also feeding any first responders who stop in. The shelter has plenty of donations already, but needs toothpaste. 
 
 Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies: This grass-roots agency helps families with disabilities. Click here. 
 
 Easter Seals Houston: The local chapter of this longtime organization provides services to people with disabilities and their families. Click here. 
 
 Texas Diaper Bank: This San Antonio-based group needs monetary donations and supplies. Click here. 
 
 Galveston County Food Bank: Monetary and food donations are needed at this Galveston County nonprofit. Click here. 
 
 Food Bank of the Golden Crescent: This food bank in Victoria needs donations of money and food. Click here. 
 
 Cypress-Fairbanks ISD: Shelters in the school district are in urgent need of bleach and bottled water. Click here for details on how to donate. 
 
 Corpus Christi Food Bank: In this hard-hit city, food and monetary donations are needed. Click here. 
 
 Brittmoore Rescue: Located in hard-hit Memorial (1401 Brtittmoore Rd.), the donation center is taking water, snacks and cleaning supplies. 
 
 Jewish Family Service of Houston: This local nonprofit is accepting donations to handle immediate needs of those affected by Tropical Storm Harvey and its flooding. The group provides a variety of services, including mental health and support counseling. Click here 
 
 Jewish Federation of Greater Houston: This nonprofit provides a variety of services to the Houston community. Click here 
 
 Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Disaster Recovery Fund - Click here 
 
 Casa Juan Diego Catholic Worker House shelter for immigrants: Food can be brought to 4818 Rose St. They also need adult diapers, especially medium pull-ups for the sick and injured, as well as underpads for beds, baby wipes and wipes for adults. Financial donations to assist those who have lost much in the flood and hurricane can be sent to P.O. Box 70113, Houston, TX 77270. 
 
 The Forge for Families, a Christian-based community organization, is a temporary American Red Cross shelter, housing more than 300 hurricane victims. They need food, new underwear for men and women, and baby supplies. Easy drop off at 3435 Dixie. Click here for more info about the group. 
 
 The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is holding dozens of blood drives across the region to help replenish supplies from three donation days lost during Harvey. For a list of drives, click here 
 
 Neighbors Emergency Care Centers are collecting donated items for Harvey relief efforts. Learn more here 
 
 Where to volunteer: 
 
 Harris County Volunteer hotline: 281-656-1533 
 
 BakerRipley is calling for volunteers to sign up for shifts at the shelter at the NRG Center. Sign up here. 
 
 Volunteer Houston: This volunteer-agency match program connects those interested in helping others to groups in need. Look here for ways to donate now, and ways to help in the cleanup that's sure to come. Visit volunteerhouston.org 
 
 NRG Center: Sign up for a shift to volunteer with BakerRipley at Houston's largest shelter. Click here 
 
 George R. Brown Convention Center: Volunteer Houston is coordinating volunteers for the shelter. Sign up for a shift here. 
 
 Toyota Center: Volunteers are needed here, but asked to register through the Red Cross and check in at GRB. 
 
 Gallery Furniture is accepting monetary donations and volunteers to help with its Rebuild TX initiative, which will provide free help with cleaning up homes damaged by Harvey. Click here 
 
 Texas Muck Map helps connect volunteers willing to help clean up homes with flood damage with the homeowners in need. Click here 
 
 Houston Food Bank: Volunteers are needed to sign up for various shifts. Click here 
 
 Houston Food Bank: There is a critical need for additional volunteers to take calls, coordinate furniture donations, help with furniture distribution, help move furniture in the warehouse, as well as other duties. Please call: (713) 842-9771 or email info@houstonfurniturebank.org to inquire about volunteering. 
 
 Woodlands Church at 1 Fellowship Way on Highway 242 needs volunteers to serve, work in shifts, and support those in need who arrive throughout today and the rest of the week. Click here to donate or volunteer. 
 
 The South East Texas Regional Advisory Council is connecting licensed caregiver volunteers with hospitals and health providers in need. Volunteer here. 
 
 Lord of Life Lutheran Church in The Woodlands: The church is organizing clean up crews to help flood-stricken residents recover. Crews will work from 10am to 6pm Saturday, Sept 2. 
 
 Workers should bring solid work gloves, hammers, screwdrivers, electric drills, utility knives and blades, wheelbarrows, pick up trucks, masks 1 gallon spray jobs for use with vinegar solution if they have them. 
 
 The Lifelong Learning Center in Katy: The center is offering free respite care for children with special needs and their siblings, ages 12-22. 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sept 5-8, 1701 East Ave. Light lunch and snacks included. They're seeking volunteers, too. 832-795-3342 or 832-935-0903; info@avantrcs.com 
 
 Houston Volunteer Lawyers is asking attorneys to volunteer their time and expertise to provide legal help to storm victims. Register to volunteer here 
 
 Willow Meadows Baptist Church, 4300 W. Bellfort, is organizing volunteer crews to help area homeowners with cleanup efforts Friday and Saturday. Staging times are at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Volunteers are asked to bring their own lunch and tools. Call or text 713 922-0877 for details. 
 
 Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster has a list of religious, community and non-profit disaster relief organizations that provide services to storm victims here. 
 
 Emergency Lodging Assistance is a FEMA -funded program that provides emergency housing in hotels. Hotels can find out more about participating in the program here or by calling 1-866-545-9865. 
 
 Texas organizations Carter BloodCare and South Texas Blood and Tissue Center are seeking blood donations. 
 
 To help Harvey-struck farmers and ranchers, the State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund, managed by the Texas State Agriculture Department, is accepting private donations. Donate here. To donate hay and animal feed, check here, or call 512-463-9360. 
 
 National/global organizations: 
 
 The American Red Cross is encouraging people to donate money on its website or to text 90999 to donate $10. The organization is also asking for volunteers. 
 
 Apple is letting users donate to the American Red Cross directly on iTunes and App Store. 
 
 Salvation Army: Donations will help provide physical, emotional and spiritual care to survivors and relief workers in areas affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. The organization is running two emergency shelters in Houston and has served nearly 120,000 meals to storm victims. To go to helpsalvationarmy.org, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY, text STORM to 51555, or send a check (designated "Hurricane Harvey") mailed to PO BOX 1959, Atlanta, GA 30301 
 
 The International Orthodox Christian Charities is collecting donations for its Hurricane Harvey Response Fund. 
 
 Direct Relief: This relief organization sends its inventory of emergency health supplies to areas in need, including the parts of the Gulf Coast affected by the storm. Click here 
 
 Save the Children: This organization will be working to bring supplies for children in shelters as well as other support. Click here 
 
 UNICEF USA has started a fund to assist children affected by Hurricane Harvey. Click here 
 
 Samaritan's Purse: This nondenominational evangelical Christian group has provided international relief since 1970. To donate to Samaritan's Purse, click here 
 
 Convoy of Hope: This group distributes emergency supplies and is on the ground in areas affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. In addition to financial donations, they are looking for volunteers who live within two hours of the storm-damaged area. Visit www.convoyofhope.org 
 
 Episcopal Relief and Development: To help fund efforts for storm rescue, relief and recovery, you can donate to this organization that has an international reach. Click here 
 
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Charities organizes groups of volunteers to help during disasters. Click here 
 
 Global Giving: This crowdfunding site is trying to raise $2 million to help storm victims. To donate to Global Giving, click here 
 
 Heart to Heart International: The group's disaster response team delivers water, supplies, hygiene/health kits to affected areas. To donate to HHI, click here 
 
 Islamic Relief USA: This national group funds a variety of efforts, including disaster and emergency response efforts under way in Houston. Click here 
 
 United Sikhs: This religious, international nonprofit organization is organizing volunteers and accepting donations to help bring supplies to underserved neighborhoods affected by Harvey. Call 1-888-423-1690 for assistance with shipping and distribution of donated items. United Sikhs is asking that all supporters consider a $25 or more gift by texting HOUSTON2017 to 91999 or donate here. To volunteer locally, contact sikhaid@unitedsikhs.org or call (888) 243-1690. 
 
 Mattew 25 Ministries: This faith-based group provides humanitarian aid and disaster relief worldwide. They accept monetary and product donations. Click here 
 
 WATCHING HARVEY: Death toll reportedly reaches 5 as Harvey spawns massive flooding in Houston area 
 
 DonorsChoose.org is collecting funds to help teachers rebuild and restock their classrooms with books and other classroom supplies. All of the donations to the relief fund will support classroom projects. 
 
 Better Than a Hotel is temporarily making all of their available rentals in Austin and College station free for evacuees affected by Hurricane Harvey. For those in need of shelter can contact Albert Smith, director of business development and marketing at albert@BetterThanAHotel.com. 
 
 Airbnb has launched a site for people looking for a place to stay and for those who can offer shelter. Fees are waived for people who check in before September 25. 
 
 Americares, an emergency response organization based in Connecticut, is delivering relief supplies and working with a local clinic in Houston. They are taking donations here. 
 
 Numerous organizations have started disaster relief funds to help those hit by Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 
 
 See food tips for Hurricane Harvey from the USDA ahead. Numerous organizations have started disaster relief funds to help those hit by Hurricane Harvey. 
 
 
 
 See food tips for Hurricane Harvey from the USDA ahead. Photo: Vanesa Brashier Photo: Vanesa Brashier Image 1 of / 27 Caption Close Hurricane Harvey: How to help victims of the Texas storm 1 / 27 Back to Gallery 
 
 Global Giving is attempting to raise $2 million for funds that will "exclusively support local relief and recovery efforts from this storm." 
 
 HARVEY HITS: Houston residents share Hurricane Harvey photos on social media 
 
 Other organizations that are accepting donations for disaster relief include the Texas Diaper Bank, Discoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi. 
 
 Embark is donating 100 percent of its net profits from consumer website sales from Wednesday to Sunday to the Houston Humane Society and Austin Dog Alliance. 
 
 Simon & Schuster is providing assistance by offering damaged Texas public libraries and school libraries a donation of 250 "best of" titles to help restock their collections. School and public libraries can request the donation by emailing S&S at education.library@simonandschuster.com. For booksellers affected by the flooding, S&S is offering multiple copies of 20 new releases and bestsellers free of charge. Booksellers affected should contact the Book Industry Charitable Foundation at help@bincfoundation.org. ||||| President Trump on Sunday afternoon held a second Cabinet meeting on Hurricane Harvey to shore up response and recovery efforts, according to the White House. 
 
 Trump along with Vice President Pence led a video teleconference with Cabinet and senior administration officials “to discuss ongoing federal support for Hurricane Harvey response and recovery,” the White House press office said in a statement. 
 
 Trump will also visit affected areas in Texas on Tuesday, according to the White House. 
 
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 The storm has hammered Texas since Friday, when it first made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. The federal government has 5,000 people on site in Texas and Louisiana, where the storm continues to bring torrential rain and flooding. 
 
 Trump, who spent Sunday morning praising the federal government’s response to Harvey in a series of tweets, “continued to stress his expectation that all departments and agencies stay fully committed to supporting the Governors of Texas and Louisiana and his number one priority of saving lives,” the statement reads. 
 
 Vice President Mike Pence Michael (Mike) Richard PenceSouth Carolina governor wins runoff after strong backing from Trump Pence talks border in South America: 'If you can't come legally, don't come at all' Laura Ingraham: George Will is ‘sad and petty’ for urging votes against GOP MORE in a tweet on Sunday emphasized the White House statement that Trump’s top priority is saving lives. 
 
 
 
 “.@POTUS stressed all depts & agencies stay committed to supporting Govs of Texas & Louisiana & his number one priority of saving lives,” Pence wrote on Twitter, including a readout of the teleconference the two held earlier. 
 
 The statement adds that Trump “reminded everyone that search and rescue efforts will transition to mass care, restoring power, providing life-sustaining necessities for the population that sheltered in place, and economic recovery.” 
 
 He also “urged survivors impacted by the storm to continue to heed the instructions of their State and local officials.” 
 
 At least five deaths from the storm have been reported. The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said recovery efforts would take years. 
 
 This is "probably the worst disaster the state’s seen,” Brock Long told The Washington Post of Texas. 
 
 -This report was updated at 4:20 p.m. ||||| Houston is being inundated with "unprecedented" devastating flooding after ferocious Hurricane Harvey set in over southeast Texas this weekend, dumping torrential rain on the city, with no end in sight. 
 
 Interested in Hurricane Harvey? Add Hurricane Harvey as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Hurricane Harvey news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest 
 
 ABC News meteorologists are forecasting historic rainfall totals up to 50 inches by Wednesday. 
 
 Heavy rain bands are expected to continue to move in over Houston overnight, which will continue the catastrophic and life-threatening flash-flood emergency in the area. 
 
 U.S. Coast Guard/Petty Officer 3rd Class Johanna Strickland/Reuters 
 
 David J. Phillip/AP 
 
 The flooding comes after the hurricane left at least three people dead after it bashed the Texas coast. Buildings and parts of communities are submerged and, in Houston, there were more than 1,000 calls for rescues and people were forced to their rooftops. 
 
 One death was confirmed Sunday by Mayor Bobby Hocking of La Marque, Texas, about 38 miles southeast from Houston on the Gulf Coast. The body of a 52-year-old man was found at a Walmart there on Interstate-45. 
 
 "At this time it is unknown if the subject passed away from health conditions or due to drowning, there was high water in the area of Walmart last night," the La Marque Police Department said in a statement. 
 
 Another person who died was in Houston, after a woman was “swept away,” according to Art Acevedo, Houston’s chief of police. 
 
 "Sadly, we have lost one female member of our community who encountered floodwaters in her vehicle, got out and was swept away," Acevedo said. 
 
 Officials said another person died in the coastal city of Rockport. 
 
 Justin Horne/KSAT 
 
 Janet Weinstein / ABC News 
 
 Brian Thevenot/Reuters 
 
 Rescue efforts underway 
 
 Meanwhile, workers are scrambling to locate survivors of the deadly storm, and some police departments are even seeking help from local residents in their rescue efforts. 
 
 Chief T and I in water with @HCSOTexas team assisting with rescue. He'd been stuck in 8' water since 2am. He was relieved. pic.twitter.com/eQ7pAMrCJx — Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) August 27, 2017 
 
 The League City Police Department, located about 30 miles south of Houston, posted on Facebook that it was looking "for people with flat bottom or low water boats to assist with rescue and evacuation." 
 
 "Please send LCPD a Facebook message with name, phone number, location of boat, length and style of boat if you can be mobile with your boat and are experienced in operation of the boat," the League City police wrote. 
 
 The Houston mayor said this evening that the majority of the city's homeless are off the streets and in shelters. 
 
 As of late Sunday night, the U.S. Coast Guard said it had conducted more than 200 rescues by air in the area and more than 1,000 rescues by water. 
 
 More rain is likely coming 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at a news conference Sunday afternoon that as the heavy rains are expected to persist, which will lead to even more flooding, people are urged to stay off the roads. 
 
 Residents are also asked to keep a lookout for tornado warnings, which may pop up in the region in the coming days. 
 
 DroneBase via AP 
 
 Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city is not out of the woods yet. This is only the second day of what could become three or four or five difficult ones, he said, while urging Houstonians not to tire and to remain vigilant. 
 
 Judge Ed Emmett of Harris County, in which Houston is located, said this evening that as night falls, rescue operations will continue and become more difficult. 
 
 He urged stranded residents to try to reach their roof if possible, where rescuers can spot them. 
 
 He said his biggest concern is reaching those who are trapped and getting them to shelters. Dozens of shelters are set up at buildings including churches and mosques, he added. 
 
 Officials respond 
 
 President Trump tweeted about the storm this morning, saying "experts are calling #Harvey a once in 500 year flood," but that the United States had "an all out effort going" in response to it. 
 
 The response included the deployment of 3,000 national and state guard service members, 500 vehicles and 14 aircraft, officials said. 
 
 Four hundred people have been deployed by the U.S. Department of Transportation in response to the danger, officials said, and 250 highway closures were established statewide. 
 
 Janet Weinstein / ABC News 
 
 ABC News' Brittany Borer, Lucien Bruggeman, Mary Bruce, Christopher Donato, Erin Dooley, Melissa Griffin, Michael Kreisel, Jonah Lustig, Daniel Manzo and Brendan Rand contributed to this report. ||||| One Time 
 
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 Aug. 27, 2017, 10:36 AM GMT / Updated Aug. 28, 2017, 12:01 AM GMT By Phil McCausland, Daniella Silva and Saphora Smith 
 
 HOUSTON — Rescuers answered thousands of calls from people trapped in Houston on Sunday as torrential rain from deadly Hurricane Harvey caused "catastrophic flooding" in the city and across southeast Texas, officials said. 
 
 "This event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced," the National Weather Service said Sunday morning. 
 
 Heavy rain continued to pour over Houston early Sunday afternoon, with some downtown areas knee-deep in water, and shut down portions of highways flooded with as much as 10 feet of water. 
 
 At least one person has died in flooding in Houston, officials said. The storm is blamed in at least two deaths overall. 
 
 The Latest 
 
 Hurricane Harvey, currently a tropical storm, has caused "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding" in southeast Texas, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) 
 
 At least two deaths have been blamed on the storm. 
 
 Houston officials said rescuers have fielded more than 2,000 calls for help 
 
 Harvey is expected to bring 15 to 25 inches of additional rainfall to the middle and upper Texas coast through Friday, according to the NWS. 
 
 Houston police said Sunday afternoon that more than 1,200 people had been rescued, with more to come. The weather service warned that flooding victims should go to their rooftops and not their attics to avoid being trapped by the rushing waters. Police in the city of Dickinson, southeast of Houston, made an online plea for people with boats to help in rescues. 
 
 "This is a life-threatening situation," said Michael Palmer, lead meteorologist at The Weather Channel. 
 
 In parts of south Houston, there were multiple abandoned cars and manhole covers spewed rushing water. As the rain slowed Sunday afternoon, one car blocked a roadway where it had stalled when the flood waters were high. 
 
 Some parts of Houston and just west of the city could receive a Texas record of 50 inches of rain as the tropical storm continues to stall over the area, NWS meteorologist Patrick Burke told the Associated Press. 
 
 The NWS said local rainfall of 50 inches "would exceed any previous Texas rainfall record." 
 
 "The breadth and intensity of this rainfall are beyond anything experienced before," the agency's Weather Prediction Center said in a tweet. 
 
 Earlier Sunday, the National Weather Service said that the Houston and Galveston area had received 24.10 inches of rain in the last 24 hours. 
 
 GALLERY: Hurricane Harvey: Life-threatening Rain Hammers Houston 
 
 The average rain fall within the Harris County emergency management network had already exceeded that of Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 in almost half the time, the Weather Prediction Center said. 
 
 The National Hurricane Center said that Allison caused 41 deaths, with 23 in the state of Texas alone, and an estimated $5 billion in damages. 
 
 President Donald Trump will be traveling to Texas on Tuesday after coordinating with state and local officials, said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. 
 
 "We continue to keep all of those affected in our thoughts and prayers," she said. 
 
 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday afternoon that 3,000 national and state Guard personnel have been activated in the state. 
 
 "One thing that we are dealing with here is basically a triangle of ongoing rain that stretches one tip of which would be the Corpus Christi area, up to Travis county, over to Chamber's county and then back to Corpus Christi," he said during a news conference. "Parts of those regions will continue to receive incredibly heavy rain that will lead to even more flooding and more danger for Texans." 
 
 Abbott stressed "the importance of staying off the road" during the heavy rains and urged people to avoid going outside if possible. 
 
 "If you drive in the water, you're taking your life in your own hands," he said. 
 
 University of Houston students Kevin Ford and Jimmy Taravella, both 20, surveyed the flooding outside the college's fraternity housing on Sunday afternoon and said the storm was worse than they imagined. 
 
 "This is worse than I thought it was going to be," said Taravella 
 
 "This is the first time I’m seeing it and it’s pretty bad," said Ford. 
 
 Ford said university officials said some fraternity and sorority buildings had to be evacuated. Some students had to leave behind cars that were stuck in water several feet deep and as high as their engines. In several low-lying areas on campus, multiple vehicles were engulfed in water. 
 
 There was a heavy police presence in the city on Sunday as officials continued to rescue people from the heavy flooding. At the university, campus police continuously patrolled the area, encouraging curious students to head back inland. 
 
 As responders rushed to save people from flooded homes and stranded cars, Houston city officials said emergency services were "at capacity" and warned residents to "shelter in place" and not to call 911 unless they were in "imminent danger." 
 
 Houston officials have received more than 2,000 calls for rescue since the storm made landfall, Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a press conference Sunday. 
 
 "We have had an unprecedented amount of water," Turner said. "I don’t think I need to tell anyone at this point that this is a very, very serious and unprecedented storm," he said. 
 
 Kayakers try to beat the current down an overflowing Brays Bayou in Houston on Sunday. Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle via AP 
 
 Houston had opened up a city convention center as a shelter for people impacted by severe flooding, he added, but encouraged people to stay home if they could. 
 
 "The safest place is for you to be in your home," he said. 
 
 The south side of the city was being deluged by up to six inches of rain every hour overnight, the Office of Emergency Management said. 
 
 The U.S. Coast Guard said it was conducting urban search and rescue operations in the greater Houston area and that its local command center had received more than 300 requests. 
 
 "Currently there are five MH-65 Dolphin Helicopters conducting rescues," the statement said. 
 
 The flooding came as emergency services along the Gulf Coast scrambled to reach those in need of assistance, and many in the path of the storm began to assess the devastation. 
 
 Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said on NBC News' "Meet The Press" Sunday morning that the recovery effort would take "years." 
 
 Long told host Chuck Todd that President Donald Trump was "extremely concerned" about the situation on the ground. 
 
 "He’s given me all the authorities to amass the resources from the federal government down through our state and local partners," he said adding, "right now we have nearly 5,000 staff that we have coordinated across the federal government within the states of Texas and Louisiana." 
 
 At least two people have died since Harvey made landfall late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane. One was found dead in a vehicle in Houston on Saturday night in a possible drowning amid flooding in the city, a Houston fire department spokesperson said. Another died in a house fire in Aransas County that rescuers could not reach because of flooding. 
 
 Hurricane Harvey batters downtown Houston on Saturday. Scott Olson / Getty Images 
 
 The storm was about 15 miles northeast of Victoria as of 8 p.m. ET Sunday with 40-mph winds, and it is causing "unprecedented flooding," the National Hurricane Center said. 
 
 "When you get rates of over six inches of rainfall an hour it overflows the drainage systems and homes and businesses will be flooded, which is what we're seeing now in Houston," Palmer said. 
 
 He warned that the storm was likely to stay in the same area for the next few days meaning rainfall would continue to fall over southeast Texas. "The flooding is only going to get worse as we go forward," he said. 
 
 Current forecasts see total rainfall between Sunday and Thursday reaching 40-50 inches, which "would be one of the worst floods in U.S. history," Palmer said. 
 
 More than 80,000 people were without power in the Houston area, CenterPoint Energy said. City officials warned residents to stay at home as rescue operations were carried out. 
 
 Full Coverage: The Latest on Tropical Storm Harvey 
 
 A pregnant woman going into labor was among the rescued, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonsalez said early Sunday. 
 
 "There are a number of people on our streets calling 911 exhausting needed resources. You can help by staying off the streets," said Turner, Houston's mayor. 
 
 Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo posted a warning on Twitter, saying: "Cannot emphasize enough how much flooding there is on roadways you are endangering yourself and our first responders by being out stay put ... do not think it's safe to be driving anywhere in the city." 
 
 Empty city buses line up on Interstate 59 near Houston on Saturday in case their bus shelters flood. Mark Mulligan / AP 
 
 He added: "Have reports of people getting into attic to escape floodwater do not to do so unless you have an axe or means to break through onto your roof." 
 
 Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and Houston Bush Airport said all commercial flights are canceled until further notice. 
 
 Trump signed a disaster declaration late Friday, allowing federal funding to help stricken areas. 
 
 Trump said on Twitter Sunday: "Many people are now saying that this is the worst storm/hurricane they have ever seen. Good news is we have great talent on the ground." 
 
 Phil McCausland reported from Houston, Daniella Silva reported from New York and Saphora Smith reported from London. ||||| I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety.
– President Trump plans to go to Texas on Tuesday to view the devastation caused by Harvey, reports the Hill. Trump had tweeted Sunday morning that he wanted to make the trip as a show of support as soon as possible without "causing disruption." Also on Sunday, Trump held a Cabinet meeting by video teleconference about the storm to discuss relief efforts. The latest on Harvey: Deaths: The New York Times reports that five deaths and more than a dozen injuries have been attributed to Harvey in southeast Texas. Details were sketchy about the fatalities, but at least two people were swept away in floodwaters, per ABC News. Forecast: Harvey is currently a tropical storm with 40mph winds, and the National Hurricane Center expects it to spend most of Tuesday back over the ocean before returning to land around the Houston area on Wednesday, reports the AP. The National Weather Service tweeted that rainfall may reach an unprecedented 50 inches in some areas, adding that "catastrophic flooding" is expected to continue for days. Rescues: Houston police say that more than 1,200 people had been rescued for far, with no end in sight, per NBC News. (People had been urged to go to their rooftops earlier.) Authorities are trying to evacuate the city's main public hospital, but it's currently surrounded by too much water. Some highways were under 10 feet of water Recovery could take years: The worst of the flooding may be over in days, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency expects recovery to take much, much longer. "FEMA's going to be there for years," agency chief Brock Long told CNN. "This disaster is going to be a landmark event." Why no evacuation? Per the Washington Post, some are questioning why Houston wasn't evacuated, with conflicting messages about how to weather the storm being sent by officials. How to help: The American Red Cross is taking online donations of money. You can text a donation as well. The Houston Chronicle rounds up other ways to help, including through crowdfunding.