Strong will

Remains isolated with closed airports

A man carries his belongings as he wades through the flood in Houston on Sunday as the US’ fourth- largest city battles with hurricane Harvey and resulting flooding

Widespread flooding unleashed by deadly storm Harvey left Houston – the fourthlargest US city – increasingly isolated Monday, with airports and highways closed and residents being rescued from their inundated homes by boat and helicopter.

The city’s two main airports suspended all commercial flights and two hospitals were forced to evacuate patients. A local television station also was knocked off the air.

At least three people have been killed so far, with reports of other fatalities still unconfirmed.

The National Hurricane Center called the flooding “unprecedented” and said the storm, which crashed ashore late Friday as a huge Category 4 hurricane, would move into the Gulf before doubling back midweek, bringing even more rain.

The storm early Monday remained almost stationary, inching towards the southeast at just 6 kilometers per hour, the NHC said in its 9: 00 GMT bulletin.

President Donald Trump, who had said he did not want to disrupt emergency efforts with a visit, plans to go to the disaster zone on Tuesday.

Rising waters from Harvey inundated roads throughout the Houston area, affecting every major freeway and hamstringing efforts to move people to safety.

“It’s crazy to see the roads you’re driving on every day just completely under water,” Houston resident John Travis told AFP.

Overwhelmed emergency services warned residents to head for high ground or climb onto rooftops – not into attics – so they could be seen by rescue helicopters. More than 2,000 rescues had been made so far.

Emergency 911 operators in Houston received 56,000 calls in a 15- hour span – seven times more than in a usual full day.

“We are going on fumes & our hearts ache for community we serve, but we will not stop!” said Houston police chief Art Acevedo.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned the operation was far from over, given the foreboding forecasts.

“The number of evacuees is increasing. The number in harm’s way will increase also with the rain that is forecast to come,” Abbott said, adding that the storm had already inflicted billions of dollars in damage.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner dismissed the idea that evacuations should have been ordered sooner.