Harvey makes landfall again as death toll rises -- live updates
HOUSTON -- The National Hurricane Center says Harvey is back on land after coming ashore early Wednesday just west of Cameron, Louisiana. The tropical storm is expected to weaken and continue north.
Meanwhile, Harvey's death toll rose to at least 11 after police confirmed Wednesday morning that a woman's death in Beaumont was related to the storm.
Harvey made landfall for the second time about 5 miles west of Cameron with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. The storm is forecast to drop substantial amounts of rain on Louisiana before moving on to Arkansas, Tennessee and parts of Missouri, which could also see flooding.
Harvey first made landfall Friday in Texas as a Category 4 hurricane.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood emergencies for parts of Southeast Texas, including Beaumont and Port Arthur.
Follow along below for live updates on the storm. All times are Eastern unless otherwise noted.
10:28 a.m.: Nearly all Houston-area waterways crest
Officials say nearly all Houston-area waterways inundated by Harvey's record rainfall have crested, but that water levels continue to rise in two flood-control reservoirs.
Jeff Lindner of the Harris County Flood Control District says river levels are going down Wednesday "for the first time in several days."
Army Corps of Engineers regional engineer Edmond Russo says water in the Barker and Addicks reservoirs in west Houston rose slightly overnight and is likely to crest Wednesday, but slightly below forecast levels.
The reservoirs have received 32 to 35 inches of rain since Harvey hit last weekend, but Russo says less than an inch of rain is forecast in the coming week.
Lindner says "we're getting very close to the peak of both reservoirs."
9:02 a.m.: Thousands at Houston convention center
About 8,300 people spent the night at the George R. Brown Convention Center Tuesday -- about a thousand fewer people than the day before. The Red Cross told CBS News Wednesday morning that everyone inside the convention center now has a cot and people can also take showers.
On Tuesday, "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell spoke to a woman about the conditions inside. She went back later in the day to see the situation herself.
"Houston wasn't prepared. The government wasn't prepared. The mayor wasn't prepared," said Harvey evacuee Michelle Lavan.
8:15 a.m.: Large refinery shutting down due to flooding
Motiva Enterprises announced early Wednesday that it had started a controlled shutdown of its major refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, because of flooding. The company said the refinery would be restarted when the floodwaters receded.
6:03 a.m.: Dire situation in Port Arthur
CBS Beaumont affiliate KFDM-TV reported the situation in Port Arthur was "dire" early Wednesday, with homes expected to fill with rising floodwaters and residents unsure how to evacuate the city. Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens told the station some county residents had gone into "survival mode."
After five days of torrential rain, the latest weather forecast predicted less than an inch more and perhaps even sunshine for the Houston area.
However, the dangers were far from over. Authorities reported at least 10 deaths from Harvey.
In all, more than 17,000 people have sought refuge in Texas shelters, and that number seemed certain to increase, the American Red Cross said.
Houston's largest shelter housed 10,000 of the displaced as two additional mega-shelters opened Tuesday for the overflow. Louisiana's governor offered to take in Harvey victims from Texas, and televangelist Joel Osteen opened his Houston megachurch, a 16,000-seat former arena, after critics blasted him on social media for not acting to help families displaced by the storm.
12:50 a.m.: Houston warns residents of imposter ICE agents
The city of Houston Tuesday night warned residents about imposter Homeland Security agents who are telling people to evacuate their homes, in what the city said it believes is an effort to rob houses.
Real Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents wear badges labeled "special agent" and they carry credentials, Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement. Residents should ask to see the badges and the credentials of anyone who says they are agents.
Additionally, ICE agents are not enforcing immigration raids during the emergency.
10:30 p.m.: Joel Osteen's megachurch opens door to donations
Pastor Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church began taking in donations Tuesday in Harvey's aftermath which has caused epic proportions of flooding and prompted thousands of rescues in the region.
CBS News' Omar Villafranca reported from the church's lobby where you could see tables setup with various items of clothing available for those affected by Harvey's deluge. He says the outpouring of donations is "absolutely incredible."
Villafranca says that a line of volunteers stretches along the church lobby where they take a variety of items from people driving by the church to hand out to evacuees who have lost everything in Harvey's wake.
"There is a mountain of clean clothes for these people here," Villafranca said pointing to a table with a mound of jean pants.
9:25 p.m.: Harvey death toll raises to 8
The total confirmed fatalities now stands at eight, following a storm-related fatality in Beaumont/Jefferson County, Texas, CBS News confirms.
Beaumont police say a woman died after she and her young daughter were swept into a rain-swollen drainage canal while trying to escape their stalled vehicle.
A police statement said the woman pulled her vehicle into a theater parking lot about 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, where it became stalled by high water. The woman then took her daughter, exited the car and was swept about a half-mile away.
Two Beaumont police officers and two fire-rescue divers in a rubber boat spotted the mother floating with the child, who was holding onto her mother. Officers pulled the child and the mother into the boat. The child was responsive but suffering from hypothermia; the mother was unresponsive and efforts to revive her failed. The child is hospitalized in stable condition.
Authorities and family members have so far reported more than a dozen deaths from Harvey.
Deaths so far:
5 in Harris County
1 in Montgomery County (fallen tree)
1 in Aransas County (fire)
1 in Jefferson County (drowning)
8:45 p.m.: Houston mayor modifies curfew
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner modified the curfew to start at 12 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday to give volunteers and others more time.
8:30 p.m.: Coast Guard Update
The United States Coast Guard has saved 4,322 lives in Houston area since Sunday, according to Capt. Kevin Oditt.
Officials say the Coast Guard continues to operate rescues of stranded people in Houston.
8 p.m.: 2 additional shelters cleared to open in Houston
Two more shelters were cleared to open Tuesday in Houston as the George R. Brown Convention Center reached nearly double its maximum capacity, Gov. Greg Abbott told CBS News.
Abbott said the Toyota Center -- located just one block from the George R. Brown Convention Center -- and the NRG Center, also known as the Astrodome, was given clearance to open.
Abbott said the accommodations were not open right away because he "would assume" the need was not anticipated, as the storm grew faster than they though.
The official capacity of the George R. Brown Convention Center is 5,000, but more than 9,000 evacuees are currently there.
7:42 p.m.: Houston mayor announces curfew
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced at a press conference that a curfew will be put in place starting Tuesday in Houston from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Central Time.
Turner said he doesn't want people in shelters right now to worry about their homes or possessions from looters.
The curfew will be in place "until I decide otherwise," Turner said.
5:45 p.m.: Chemical plant evacuated due to explosion, fire risk
A chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, evacuated a small crew of remaining workers Tuesday after Harvey's flood waters inundated the plant's backup generators.
"In order to ensure the safety of our ride-out team, all personnel have been evacuated from the site at this time," Arkema Inc. said in a statement.
The company said refrigeration of some back-up containers were compromised, but they would monitor temperature levels from a remote location.
"At this time, while we do not believe there is any imminent danger, the potential for a chemical reaction leading to a fire and/or explosion within the site confines is real," the statement said.
The company said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security and the state of Texas to set up a command post in near the plant.
The Harris County Fire Marshal's office said in a tweet Tuesday that homes within 1.5 miles of the plant in have been evacuated out of precaution.
Arkema said it shut down the Crosby site before Harvey made landfall last week, but a crew of 11 had been kept onsite. That group was removed Tuesday.
5:24 p.m.: Cedar Bayou hits record-breaking rainfall
The National Weather Service says Cedar Bayou, Texas, has recorded 51.88 inches of rain from Harvey, a new continental U.S. record.
4:16 p.m.: Facebook, Google match Harvey donations
Facebook and Google are matching donations to people affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Facebook says it will match every dollar raised through its platform, up to $1 million, for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy's Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund. The money will support local recovery and rebuilding efforts. U.S. Facebook users are getting a message at the top of their news feed on how to donate.
Google says it is matching $1 million in donations to the American Red Cross. To donate, click here. The company also matched donations from employees, and said it donated $750,000 between its nonprofit arm, Google.org, and employee contributions to organizations such as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children.
3:40 p.m.: Houston mayor confirms police officer drowned
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner confirmed that police Sgt. Steve Perez, 60, died after he became trapped in his patrol car as he was driving to work.
In a news conference, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said Perez spent about 2.5 hours trying to get to his patrol station but couldn't get there because of flooding on the city's roads. Perez contacted the station when he decided to go to his secondary location in Kingswood, Acevedo said.
Acevedo said that knowing how responsible the 34-year officer was, the department knew something had gone wrong when Perez didn't show up for work Monday.
Dive teams searched his last known location and found him on Tuesday.
"The death of Sergeant Perez reminds us of the dangers that police officers willingly face everyday in order to serve this great city," the department said in a statement. "We will go through this extremely difficult and trying time with heavy hearts sadly reminded of the ultimate sacrifice one of our own paid."
Perez is survived by his wife, son, daughter and extended family, the statement said.
3:14 p.m.: Harvey expected to make landfall in Louisiana Wednesday
Weather forecasters expect Harvey to come ashore somewhere near Louisiana's southwestern corner, following its trip through Texas and return to the Gulf.
National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Erickson says officials project a landfall in Cameron Parish around midday Wednesday. Erickson says another 4 to 8 inches of rain is likely across southwest Louisiana.
Forecasters also project heavy rain running east from New Orleans to Pensacola along the Gulf Coast.
Harvey is expected to bring gusts up to 45 mph in coastal areas and gusts of up to 35 mph in Lake Charles and along the Interstate 10 corridor.
Erickson warns that some coastal rivers won't be able to drain rains effectively because Harvey's winds are pushing storm surge into coastal waters, aggravating flooding in places that have already received more than 20 inches of rain.
2:16 p.m.: Military response could soon expand in Texas
A Pentagon official says the military's contribution to Harvey rescue and recovery efforts could soon increase by tenfold or more.
Air Force Maj. Gen. James Witham told reporters there currently are about 3,500 National Guard troops involved, including about 3,000 from the Texas National Guard. He estimated that the Texas guard number could rise to 8,000 or 10,000 in coming days, possibly joined by 20,000 to 30,000 from other states.
Witham is the director of domestic operations for the National Guard Bureau.
He said the military is providing everything that has been requested by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, although the response is constrained by the stormy weather and by flooding that limits use of roadways.
1:52 p.m.: Trump arrives in Texas to survey damage from Harvey's wrath
President Trump says Harvey was a storm of "epic proportion."
Mr. Trump has arrived in Corpus Christi, Texas, on the first leg of a two-stop tour of the state to be briefed on the damage and the recovery efforts.
He was joined at a suburban fire station by first lady Melania Trump. The first lady sat beside the president as various officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott, briefed Mr. Trump on efforts before and after Harvey made landfall on Friday.
Mr. Trump is dealing with his first major natural disaster as president.
He says he wants to handle it "better than ever before." Mr. Trump also says he wants future presidential administrations to look back on Harvey and say the way he handled the storm is the way disaster management should be done.
12:25 p.m.: Houston mayor provides updates on flood disaster response
During a midday press conference, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said authorities are working to open additional mega-shelters for residents affected by Hurricane Harvey's floodwaters.
It remains unclear where these shelters will be set up. The mayor stressed that no one will be turned away from shelters.
The city has made an official request to FEMA for assistance with supplying cots and food for an additional 10,000 people.
First responders have rescued well over 3,500 people, the mayor said.
At this time, about 100,000 residents remain without electricity.
11:20 a.m.: Authorities in Brazoria County warn of levee breach
Authorities outside Houston are urging residents of Brazoria County to evacuate immediately after a levee was breached, the Reuters news agency reports.
A warning was posted on Twitter saying, "The levee at Columbia Lakes has been breached!! Get out now!!"
Any residents who have not already evacuated the area should leave immediately, officials said.
County officials also urged the public to limit cell phone use to emergencies only due to the systems being bogged down.
10:35 a.m.: Nearly 6,000 prisoners displaced by storm
Two more Texas prisons near the rising Brazos River are being evacuated.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice says the 1,400 inmates at the Vance and Jester 3 Units in Richmond, about 30 miles southwest of Houston, are being taken by agency buses to other prisons in south Texas.
That brings the number of prisoners displaced by Harvey to nearly 6,000.
The state corrections department earlier moved 4,500 inmates from the Terrell, Stringfellow, and Ramsey Units in Brazoria County, south of Houston, to prisons in East Texas.
9:59 a.m.: 11 rescued from fast-moving floodwaters
A fire official says 11 people were rescued from fast-moving floodwaters in northwest Houston after a private rescue boat capsized.
Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department spokesman David Padovan said the people who fell from the boat clung to trees to avoid being carried away by the current.
A Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter provided a floodlight early Tuesday to guide rescuers to the people in the water.
Padovan says it appears the people were being evacuated from their homes in a flooded Houston subdivision and were being taken to dry ground when the boat capsized.
It's not clear what caused the craft to roll.
The rescued people were treated for cuts, abrasions and mild hypothermia.
7 a.m.: Looting, vehicle hijacking arrests amid the flooding
CBS Houston affiliate KHOU reports Fort Bend County officials say looters were impersonating authorities and encouraging residents to evacuate their homes. The suspects then looted homes after homeowners left.
"You see the best of people, you see the worst of people," said Alan Spears, of Fort Bend County Emergency Management.
Spears warned residents they should only leave based on official communications or at the direction of a uniformed officer.
In Houston, at least seven people were arrested Monday night, KHOU said, citing Police Chief Acevedo. He said officers arrested four armed people for hijacking vehicles in flooded areas.
Three people were arrested while trying to loot at a video game store, Acevedo said.
The chief added that officers are exhausted after working more than 30 hours without sleep.
"We're not going to stop, we're not going to give up," Acevedo said. "To the fools out there . . . don't come to Houston and victimize our people."
3 a.m.: Hotel worker vanishes while helping others evacuate
A spokeswoman for a Houston hotel says one of its employees disappeared while helping about 100 guests and workers evacuate the building.
Omni Hotel spokeswoman Kristen Candenhead told The Associated Press in an email Monday night that a team has been searching every available area of the Omni Houston that is safe to access, but there has been no sign of the worker.
She says the hotel is not identifying the employee out of respect for the missing worker's family.
12:30 a.m. Houston puts rumor to rest
The city says it will not check the immigration status of people seeking emergency shelter.
Monday, August 28
11:30 p.m.: Harvey's latest forecast
The National Hurricane Center says more heavy rainfall from Harvey is expected in the Houston area.
The center's 10 p.m. CDT advisory promises more rain overnight from the tropical storm to worsen an already dire flood situation in Southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana.
The storm center was marked 145 miles southwest of Port Arthur, Texas, or about 114 miles south of Houston, and was drifting east-southeast at 3 mph with sustained winds of up to 45 mph.
The storm was expected to make a slow turn to the northeast on Tuesday, placing the center just off the middle and upper Texas Gulf coast through Tuesday night before moving inland. Harvey is expected to produce 10 to 20 additional inches or rain over the upper Texas coast and southwestern Louisiana through Thursday, with isolated storm totals maybe reaching 50 inches over the Houston-Galveston area and the upper Texas coast.
11:20 p.m.: Trump to visit 2 Texas cities for flood update
President Donald Trump is expected to visit two Texas cities for updates on the devastating flooding that has paralyzed the region in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
The White House announced late Monday that the president and first lady Melania Trump will depart Tuesday morning for Corpus Christi, where they'll receive a briefing on relief efforts by local leaders and relief organizations.
The couple will then head to Austin for a tour of the Texas Department of Public Safety's Emergency Operations Center.
The trip will conclude with a briefing there from state leaders.
At a press appearance Monday, the president said he may also return to the region again on Saturday, possibly with a stop in Louisiana.
11 p.m.: Cajun Navy says shots fired; authorities say no
Houston authorities say they have not received any reports of gunshots being fired at a group of volunteers known as the Cajun Navy, despite a spokesman for the group saying shots were fired.
The Cajun Navy is a group of volunteers that formed in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. They have dispatched people to help during Harvey.
Clyde Cain of the Louisiana Cajun Navy's says on the group's Facebook page Monday night that he wasn't sure if looters fired at the rescuers or fired up into the air. He says no one was hurt.
The Houston Emergency Operations center says it checked with police, who said they had not received any reports of shots being fired at the Cajun Navy.
Cain described a chaotic scene out on the floodwaters. He says some people are posing as rescuers and are robbing people. He says the Cajun Navy is being very careful when they approach stores that may be the target of looters.
10:50 p.m.: Woman says she presumes family of 6 dead
A Houston woman says that she presumes six members of a family, including four of her grandchildren, have died after their van sank into Greens Bayou in East Houston.
Virginia Saldivar says her brother-in-law, Samuel Saldivar, was driving the van Sunday, trying to deliver his parents and her four grandchildren to safety. He was crossing a bridge when a strong current in the floodwaters took the van. It pitched forward over the bridge into a bayou. Saldivar was able to climb out of a window and urged the children, siblings ages 6 to 16, to escape through the back door, but they could not.
Virginia Saldivar says: "I'm just hoping we find the bodies."
Houston emergency officials say they cannot confirm the deaths.
10:30 p.m.: Chaotic 2nd night at George R. Brown Convention Center
The second night inside the George R. Brown Convention Center has been much louder and at times more chaotic than the first, as the downtown Houston shelter exceeds its original stated capacity.
Police officers and Red Cross personnel have been seen running several times to respond to people who need medical help, including two people who were on the ground, unresponsive, near the exit to the convention center. Officers pushed back evacuees and media as medics tended to them. Houston's emergency operations center did not immediately return a phone message asking what had happened.
Over a loudspeaker, a person shouted in English and Spanish to leave space for first responders moving in and out of the cavernous convention hall.
10 p.m.: Houston's Downtown Convention Center exceeds capacity
Having been turned into a shelter for Harvey evacuees, Houston's downtown convention center has exceeded its expected capacity of 5,000 people.
American Red Cross spokesman Lloyd Ziel says around 5,500 evacuees have entered the George R. Brown Convention Center. More are still arriving as flooding in the Houston area grows and authorities continue water rescues.
Unless volunteers can find more than their current supply of 5,000 cots, some evacuees will have to sleep in chairs or on the floor.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told reporters that other sites for a "major" shelter were being discussed, but officials hadn't announced where they would be by Monday night.
9:05 p.m.: San Antonio shelters unequipped for children, until nonprofit arrives
Some evacuees in Houston were being bused three hours away to San Antonio, CBS News correspondent Mireya Villarreal reports. Nicholas Tyre and Shelby Burley evacuated Rockport with their two small children.
"We have nowhere for them to go, we don't know what we are going to do we don't have any other resources than what we are getting here," Burley said while fighting back tears.
Most of the shelters were unequipped for children. Families made do with makeshift cribs made out of cardboard boxes, before a nonprofit arrived with real cribs, Villarreal reports.
"At least now, we are reassured and we can sleep a little better knowing they won't fall off or get hurt in any other way," Burley said.
New arrivals were registered and issued identification tags to keep families together while officials searched for empty beds in shelters. So far, four are open and more are needed. San Antonio is preparing for more than 10,000 victims.
8:55 p.m.: Updated Harvey rescue numbers
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says police have rescued 1,000 people in the last eight hours, bringing the total number of people rescued to 3,052 since Tropical Storm Harvey inundated many parts of Houston.
At a news conference Monday evening, Turner also said that at least 150 critical rescue requests were still pending.
The U.S. Coast Guard said that on Monday it had rescued more than 3,000 people by boat and air and that it is getting over 1,000 calls per hour.
Officials says that in Houston, more than 100,000 customers remain without power and that number remained steady on Monday as work crews have had difficulty getting into areas due to flooding.
8:50 p.m.: Some Houston residents refuse to leave flooded homes
CBS News correspondent David Begnaud was in one neighborhood, the Fleetwood subdivision in west Houston, which has become an emergency evacuation zone.
Water was rushing in from the nearby bayou and reservoir. People who refused to leave were forced to call for help -- and they got it from civilian good Samaritans.
Begnaud was on a boat with Truett Allen when a woman yelled "Help!" from her second-story window. She walked out of her home, which was filled with 3 feet of water.
As the rain got heavier, and rescuers left, there was one woman in the corner of the neighborhood where the water was rushing in. She was determined to stay behind. She didn't say why she wanted to stay put, but she said she knew the water was rising and emergency responders were overwhelmed with calls for help.
"I'm not leaving," she told Begnaud.
8:30 p.m.: Relative tells tragic events that may have killed family of 6
A relative of the family believed to be dead in Houston told CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann how the tragic events unfolded.
Police are investigating reports a family of six who may have drowned Sunday when their van overturned. Reports say they were trying to escape through rising waters.
"The water took em, the water took em, they went into a ditch. My uncle got out, the National Guard came and tried to get the door open but couldn't. All my nieces and nephews drowned -- my grandpa, grandma," the man said.
"Were you close to your nieces and nephews?" Strassmann asked.
"Yes, they're my babies, they're my babies," the man replied.
8 p.m.: 2 Baytown subdivisions evacuations ordered
Officials in Baytown, a refinery suburb east of Houston, are urging residents of two subdivisions along a rain-swollen bayou to put white towels or sheets on their windows to alert evacuation teams to rescue them.
Baytown spokeswoman Patti Jett says the 2,000 residents of Pinehurst and Whispering Pines subdivisions must be cleared out by nightfall, when non-life-threatening rescues will stop.
Jett says the sheets and towels in the windows will allow rescuers to better identify people they need to reach.
The neighborhoods border swift-flowing Cedar Bayou.
7 p.m.: Flotilla of volunteers from Louisiana help Texas residents
CBS News correspondent DeMarco Morgan spoke with one volunteer who used his own boat to rescue others stranded in Dickinson, Texas.
Joshua Mtanyos is part of the Cajun Navy, a flotilla of volunteers from Louisiana who has come to help the hundreds of residents stranded in Dickinson, a small town 30 miles east of Houston.
"Louisiana is in a bind, they come for us, we'll come for them. We'll help them out as much as we can," Mtanyos tells Morgan.
The National Weather Service is calling this event "unprecedented," saying the impacts are unknown and beyond anything experienced, but some are willing to risk it all.
"We're here for a purpose and by the grace of god, we're going to do what we can," Mtanyos says.
4:38 p.m.: Coast Guard rescue update
The U.S. Coast Guard says it has deployed 551 people to Texas to support the flood-relief efforts there. It says Coast Guard helicopter crews and shallow-water boat rescue teams have saved 1,504 people so far -- 1,469 in the last 24 hours. Additional boat rescue teams may arrive today or tomorrow, depending on conditions.
3:55 p.m.: President Trump on "historic" flood response
President Trump praised emergency workers and officials for doing an incredible job in responding to the "historic" flooding in Texas.
"Things are being handled really well," Mr. Trump said in joint appearance at the White House with the President of Finland. "The people of Texas, as you know, have really persevered."
My administration is coordinating closely with state and local authorities in Texas and Louisiana to save lives and we thank our first responders and all of those involved in their efforts," he said.
The president is planning to visit the Houston area Tuesday, and said he may return to the region Saturday to visit Louisiana, which is also getting heavy rain.
3:25 p.m.: 6 family members reported drowned
CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV reports six members of one family are believed to have drowned when their van was swept away by floodwaters.
The victims reportedly include four children aged 16 or younger and their great-grandparents. The driver of the vehicle, the children's great-uncle, managed to escape before the van went under water. Witnesses and first responders in the area were unable to rescue those trapped inside.
The bodies have not yet been recovered, and officials have not counted the six in city's official death toll, but if confirmed it would be the single deadliest incident resulting from the storm so far.
3:20 p.m.: Mandatory evacuation for Dickinson, Texas
The City of Dickinson issued a mandatory evacuation order for all citizens Monday afternoon. In a statement posted on the police department's Facebook page, the city said evacuations were necessary due to factors including fragile infrastructure in the flooding, limited utilities, and the storm's continued forecast track. People in need of a place to go can check for shelter locations at redcross.org.
Dickinson is the location of a nursing home that was evacuated over the weekend after a photo went viral of elderly residents sitting in waist-deep water.
2:58 p.m.: Governor praises "heroic" efforts
At an afternoon press briefing, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott praised the "immeasurable, courageous and heroic" efforts of emergency responders. He said he had spoken with President Trump about the efforts.
"We are just beginning the process of responding to the storm," Abbott said.
He said electrical power is in the process of being restored to areas that lost it, but repairs may take another day or two.
Efforts are also underway to get food, water, toilet facilities and other essential supplies to those displaced by the storm.
1:08 p.m.: More flight cancellations
The flight tracking website FlightAware reports that as of midday Monday, 1,612 U.S. flights have been cancelled.
Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Houston Hobby Airport (IAH) remain closed to non-relief flights. At this time, the majority of roadways connecting to the airports are impassable due to flooding, preventing staff from reporting to work.
Bush Intercontinental, a hub for United Airlines, isn't expected to reopen until Thursday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. United confirmed it will not resume flights there until at least noon local time on Thursday. United flew in a Boeing 777 with relief supplies on Sunday and used it to take 300 customers to Chicago, said spokesman Charles Hobart. Two similar flights were planned for Monday, he said.
Southwest Airlines operated five emergency flights from Hobby Airport to Dallas on Sunday to pick up nearly 500 passengers who had been stranded, a spokeswoman said. The airport is expected to remain shut down until Wednesday, the FAA said.
12:50 p.m.: Hundreds of Coast Guard rescues
The U.S. Coast Guard says its aircrews have rescued about 300 people in distress in the Houston area, while another 1,200 people have been rescued by Coast Guard Flood Punt Teams with shallow-draft boats capable of navigating flooded streets.
"Our crews have been operating non-stop," Coast Guard Incident Commander Capt. Kevin Oditt said in a statement. "This is an all hands on deck event bringing crews from all over the nation to help with our response."
The Coast Guard says it has 20 helicopters and nine teams with 21 shallow-draft boats carrying out rescues across the Houston area.
12:05 p.m.: More National Guard troops
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced he has activated the entire Texas National Guard in response to Harvey, bringing the total number of deployed guard troops to roughly 12,000. In a statement, the governor said they will "assist in the ongoing search and rescue effort for any Texans in immediate danger, and will be heavily involved in the extensive recovery effort in the aftermath of the storm."
"The men and women of the Texas National Guard are working around the clock to support all relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey," said Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, Texas Adjutant General. "We will not rest until we have made every effort to rescue all those in harm's way. We will remain here as long as we are needed.
11:25 a.m.: Widespread power outages
Texas utility companies are reporting more than 400,000 customers without electricity Monday. About 1,300 outages are reported in Louisiana.
11:20 a.m.: Message from Bush family
In a statement addressed to "our fellow Houstonians and Texans," former President George H. W. Bush and wife Barbara wrote:
"Barbara and I are in Maine, but our hearts are in Houston. We are praying for all of our fellow Houstonians and Texans affected by Harvey, and truly inspired by the flotilla of volunteers -- Points of Light all -- who are answering the call to help their neighbors. We salute them, the first responders, and the local elected officials for their grit and determination in the face of this extraordinary storm. This we know: Houston, and Texas, will come together and rebuild."
10:55 a.m.: Update on Houston rescues
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner held a news briefing with city police and fire officials and said rescuing people in distress remains the city's "number one priority."
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said emergency workers have responded to over 5,500 calls, mostly for water-related incidents.
At the time of the press conference, he said about 185 critical rescue requests were still pending, and that their goal "is to complete the rescues of all critical missions today."
He said more than 290 water rescues have taken place since midnight, and he urged people to stay off the roads as conditions remain extremely hazardous.
Overall, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said authorities have rescued about 2,000 people from flooding in the city.
The city's 911 system has been overwhelmed by the number of calls, but officials said the system is working and people should be patient and stay on the line if they need emergency assistance. They once again urged residents to call 911 only for life-threatening emergencies.
Police said four people have been arrested for attempted looting.
10:30 a.m.: Corpus Christi water system
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality announced that a boil water notice has been lifted for the Corpus Christi public water system. "The public water system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water" and tests confirm it is now safe for drinking, the commission said in a statement.
10:25 a.m.: Dallas setting up "mega-shelter"
Dallas is gearing up to house up to 5,000 Gulf Coast residents in a "mega shelter" in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. CBS DallasFort Worth reports about 500 evacuees are already in other Dallas area shelters and the convention center site should be ready to accept people starting Tuesday morning.
The city is working with Dallas County, the Red Cross, and other agencies to get the job done.
9:50 a.m.: JJ Watt fundraising effort
Houston Texans star JJ Watt told "CBS This Morning" it was "very difficult" for him to see the destruction in his home city. Watt set up an online fundraising campaign for Harvey victims and pledged $100,000 himself.
"To see [Houston] going through such a disaster and not be there, not be able to help, it's very difficult to have to watch it from afar and see it on TV and look at streets that you know and you can barely recognize them under all the water," Watt said.
8:40 a.m.: President Trump approves Louisiana emergency declaration
A statement from the White House Monday said President Donald Trump has declared an emergency in Louisiana, authorizing federal assistance for Harvey relief efforts in the state.
The statement said Department of Homeland Security and FEMA would coordinate disaster relief efforts "to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vermillion."
7:30 a.m.: 30,000 people expected in emergency shelters
In a Monday morning briefing, FEMA Administrator Brock Long said officials are expecting 30,000 people in emergency shelters. As many as 50 counties are feeling the impact of the storm.
Calling Harvey a "landmark event," Long said "you could not dream this forecast up."
When it comes to the emergency response and evacuations, Long said he believes local, state and federal agencies thus far have operated with the "best information that they had at the time." More widespread evacuations would have been "difficult" given the time frame, putting people at risk of becoming trapped in long lines of vehicles trying to escape rising floodwaters, which would have been worse than the shelter-in-place scenario playing out now.
"All disasters begin and end at the local level," he added. "All evacuation decisions are made at the local level in Texas."
"We are not out of the woods yet," said Elaine Duke, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. "Harvey is still a dangerous and historic storm."
Duke said emergency officials are currently focused on rescue efforts and plan to move into recovery mode later this week.
For now, she urged local residents to avoid calling 911 unless they were in need of urgent, immediate medical assistance.
Duke said she will accompany President Trump as he visits Houston on Tuesday.
According to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service, the storm is expected to dump another 15 to 20 inches of additional rainfall on the region before it's over.
Long encouraged Americans who want to help storm victims to go to the website www.NVOAD.org to connect with National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, which is coordinating donations and volunteers.
Those in need of assistance should visit www.disasaterassistance.gov if they have internet access or call 1-800-621-FEMA.
6:50 a.m.: Louisiana seeks emergency declaration
Louisiana's governor is asking President Trump for a federal emergency declaration for Louisiana since forecasters expect Harvey to cause significant damage in the state.
Gov. John Bel Edwards said he sent a letter to the White House requesting the initial disaster declaration for five parishes in southwest Louisiana, and could add more areas to the request later.
Edwards said life-saving efforts such as search and rescue and shelters will be needed, especially in southwest Louisiana where forecasters say 10 to 20 inches of rain could fall.
5:15 a.m.: Harvey almost standing still
Harvey continues to head back toward the Gulf of Mexico at a slow pace.
The National Hurricane Center said in its 4 a.m. CDT update that the tropical storm still has sustained winds of up to 40 mph and is centered 20 miles east of Victoria, Texas, about 120 miles southwest of Houston. It continues to creep to the southeast at 3 mph.
That means it remains virtually stalled near the coast and continues to drop heavy rain on the Houston and Galveston areas. In the past 48 hours, numerous spots in the region have measured more than 25 inches of rain.
The hurricane center says Harvey's center was expected to drift off the middle Texas coast Monday and meander offshore through Tuesday before beginning "a slow northeastward motion."
The center says people in the upper Texas coast and in southwestern Louisiana should continue to monitor Harvey's progress.
3:38 a.m.: Dealing with rescue requests
Houston officials continue to urge people to shelter in place and stay off flooded roadways as Harvey continues to batter the nation's fourth-largest city.
Public Information Officer Keith Smith also says Sunday that rescue efforts continue and now are focused on those who feel trapped inside a home or building.
Smith says the city's 911 emergency response system has been challenged by sharply increased call volumes since the tropical storm made landfall late Friday.
4:37 a.m.: Power outages grow
Some 269,000 homes and businesses were in the dark in southest Texas early Monday due to Harvey, utilities reported.
3:25 a.m.: Evacuees sheltered in convention center
Hundreds of people affected by devastating flooding in Houston have flocked to a downtown showcase convention center-turned-emergency shelter. Many arrived Sunday carrying little more than what was in their pockets. Most are preparing for a stay of several days, as water rises inside their homes and roads remain impassable.
The American Red Cross was expanding the shelter by the hour. Volunteers initially set out around 1,300 cots and quickly assembled more in anticipation of other evacuees arriving through the night. They have enough space and cots to house 5,000 people.
3:20 a.m.: Post Office pulls back in Houston
2:15 a.m.: Reservior water releases
Residents living around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs designed to help prevent flooding in downtown Houston, were warned Sunday that a controlled release from both reservoirs would cause additional street flooding and could spill into homes. Rising water levels and continuing rain was putting pressure on the dams that could cause a failure without the release.
Harris and Fort Bend county officials said Sunday that residents around certain areas should be prepared for the influx of water that was scheduled to happen at Addicks around 2 a.m. local time Monday and a day later at Barker. Officials warned residents they should pack their cars Sunday night and wait for daylight Monday to leave.
Thousands of homes could be affected by the releases, CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV reports.
2:45 a.m.: Evacuations ordered outside Houston
Meanwhile, officials in Fort Bend County, Houston's southwestern suburbs, late Sunday issued widespread mandatory evacuation orders along the Brazos River levee districts. County officials were preparing for the river to reach major flood stages late Sunday. County Judge Robert Herbert said at a news conference that National Weather Service officials were predicting that the water could rise to 59 feet, three feet above 2016 records and what Herbert called an "800-year flood level." Herbert said that amount of water would top the levees and carries a threat of levee failure.
12:15 a.m.: More National Guard members
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says another 1,000 National Guard members will be sent to Houston on Monday as flooding from Harvey continues to ravage the area. The governor announced the move late Sunday on his personal Twitter account.
Earlier Sunday, Abbott said the state activated 3,000 National Guard and State Guard members as a result of the storm damage. He also said 500 vehicles and 14 aircraft had been put into service.
11:50 p.m.: Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund that will accept tax deductible flood relief donations.
"We are getting calls from across the country and right here in our hometown, and the generosity of people who understand this disaster is truly amazing," Mayor Turner said. "Together we can make a difference to those who will need extensive help to get back on their feet once this storm is over."
Here are ways to donate:
Online Credit Card Donations: Visit www.ghcf.org. Online credit card donations will be assessed a small fee, typically 3 percent, by the credit card companies. Donors have the option of increasing their credit card donations to cover this fee.
Checks/Money Orders: Mail to Greater Houston Community Foundation, 5120 Woodway Drive, Suite 6000, Houston, TX 77056.
Transfer Cash by Wire: Wire To:
JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Houston, TX
ABA # 021000021
For credit to: Greater Houston Community Foundation
A/C#: 849170287
For further credit to: Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
