Hurricane Harvey, the most powerful storm to hit the US state of Texas since 1961, made landfall on Friday evening, as authorities warned of catastrophic ocean surges and winds. Officials and media in Rockport, a coastal city directly in the path of the storm as it made landfall, have already reported damage.

They said that a high school, a hotel, a senior housing complex and other buildings being used as shelters had been harmed by the storm. Rockport's acting mayor earlier had advised people to write their name and social security number on their arms in permanent marker. "We hate to talk about things like that. It's not something we like to do but it’s the reality. People don’t listen," Patrick Rios told reporters Friday, according to media reports.

US President Donald Trump signed a disaster proclamation for the state as Hurricane Harvey strengthened to Category 4. After the storm hit the Texas coast with 209 kph (130 mph) winds, it was later downgraded to a Category 1 as it settled over the southeast of the state. The storm is expected to slow further and flood the area with rain up to the middle of next week.

Courtesy:DW