Hurricane Harvey could be one of worst

If you think Hurricane Harvey is about done, think again. It is clear that Harvey is destined to rank right up there in the annals of Gulf of Mexico storms with the likes of such infamous names as Katrina, Andrew and Camille. There is a good chance that H

South central Texas has already been rocked by winds above 130 mph and massive storms surges, but those almost seem trivial when compared to the massive amount of rain being dumped onto what is a low-lying landscape. The flooding, especially in Houston, is already catastrophic and weather forecasters say there is no end in sight.

Now, it appears, Louisiana, which is also low-lying, will get its turn as the now-tropical storm meanders along the Gulf Coast. History tells us that storms that dance along the coastline like Harvey is doing draw moisture from the warm Gulf waters and churn it into rain and, often, tornadoes.

While Harvey formed rather quickly, it gained strength in a hurry. Often Gulf hurricanes begin to lose their strength as they approach landfall. But Harvey was actually gaining strength as it slammed into the Texas coast over the weekend

So far, the number of deaths attributed to the storm is relatively low, but property damage will be another matter. Al-

We know that the people of the Gulf Coast are tough and they will rebound, but it will take years.

ready, more than 30,000 people have been driven from their homes and that number is expected to increase. The dollar estimates for property damage are astronomical and will only soar as the storm continues to fester.

While the residents of the area will feel the greatest brunt of the pain, the rest of the nation will likely feel the pinch in the pocketbook. Refineries along the Gulf Coast, which is the heart of the American oil industry, have been forced to shutter their operations thus cutting available supplies and, as a result, gasoline prices have already hit a two-year high. This comes at a time that those refineries were already preparing an annual switch to winter-blend formulas.

But one of the most heartening aspects of the storm is the civilian response when authorities asked for volunteer help. In a short time emergency workers were able to direct a veritable armada of private small boats for rescues. Houston — and all of Texas, for that matter — is an area that has lots of those. Smart use of an existing resource.

We know that the people of the Gulf Coast are tough and they will rebound, but it will take years. We want them to know we are with them. Some California fire departments have already sent rescue personnel and more is on the way. Beyond that, the people of the area should know that they are in our thoughts and prayers.