Hurricane Harvey - The City of Houston

[Tami]

This is a simple poll for a possibly complex issue. Should the Mayor of the City of Houston have ordered an evacuation before the flooding became as bad as it has, as soon as there was imminent risk due to Hurricane Harvey? Or was the mayor right in saying that an evacuation would have been worse?

In my opinion, I think that the areas most at risk for flooding should have been evacuated.

edit: If the timing is wrong for this type of thread, I understand and I apologize. I just got upset seeing so many people endangered by the flood waters of the Hurricane.

[Tugger]

I hope everyone on the forum who is in Texas, or those you know there are safe.

[Daryl]

It's a city of over 6 million people and really nowhere else in Texas for that many people to go. The highways out of town are not that great, which I know from growing up there. Evacuations during Hurricane Rita were terrible. People were stuck and dying on the evacuation routes so I think the gun-shyness was understandable. I'm not sure the precision to only evacuate those who really needed it was all that possible. Not to mention a lot of people just don't have the means to go anywhere.

My family for the most part, is actually ok. I have other friends that experienced some flooding but for the most part are ok as well, so far.

[BeastieRunner]

The proposed evacuation zone for Houston was 2.3 million people ...

Where do you put 2.3 million people? And how do you get them in and out safely without creating a panic?

[Scott Taylor]

Reports from those I know living there are that locals with boats who stayed there are helping each other. If there had been a mass evacuation order, I suspect there would now be a lot less people around to help those who were unable to leave.

Plus the mayor's logic made sense to me. Put that many people on a freeway out of town at the same time and you've got potentially even bigger problems.

[Phoenixx9]

I thought the mayor did call for evacuation? It may have been a mayor of more coastal location. He said he was not going to send any help if people stayed and got stranded!

I heard on the news that in the past, I believe Houston or one of Texas' other cities did try to evacuate in the past due to a hurricane. But due to the large number of people, they were stuck on highways going nowhere and died.

Thought and prayers for all those affected! And support the American Red Cross who need money right now more than anything else.

[BeastieRunner]

I thought the mayor did call for evacuation? It may have been a mayor of more coastal location. He said he was not going to send any help if people stayed and got stranded!

I heard on the news that in the past, I believe Houston or one of Texas' other cities did try to evacuate in the past due to a hurricane. But due to the large number of people, they were stuck on highways going nowhere and died.

Thought and prayers for all those affected! And support the American Red Cross who need money right now more than anything else.

That was Rita.

And yes, people got stranded. It also looks like Harvey is redoubling into the Gulf and back at Houston, which makes it more problematic than Rita.

[ChaoticScholar]

I'm south of Houston. We're ok, but very tired. The redoubling talk seems to be dying out. Very worried about family in the flood zone.

[Scott Taylor]

Best to you in the Houston area. I have two friends there, one of which was evacuated last night as her apartment began to flood and the other of which seems to have barely escaped house flooding.

Food, shelter, and fresh water needed for a lot of people.

[ChaoticScholar]

TV is saying this is the home stretch. Hopefully, we can relax by this time, Thursday.