Evacuations are underway in advance of Hurricane Harvey.
HARRIS COUNTY
A voluntary evacuation is issued for The City of Seabrook where all residents are urged to leave by noon Friday.
GALVESTON COUNTY
A voluntary evacuation for residents on Bolivar Peninsula is in effect for Friday, Aug. 25 beginning at 8 a.m.. Judge Mark Henry in Galveston County issued this order which includes Gilchrist, Crystal Beach, High Island and unincorporated areas of Port Bolivar. Residents who live in these areas and the City Dickenson, in low-lying areas who require medical attention that relies on power, are encouraged to evacuate.
Seawall residents along the seawall are also advised to evacuate.
BRAZORIA COUNTY
Brazoria County is under mandatory evacuation where 6-10 foot storm surge is expected. That flood prone area includes Surfside and the Gulf side of the Intracoastal canal. Voluntary evacuation for low lying coastal areas inland of the Intracoastal Waterway are also included.
Voluntary evacuation has been issued for: Bridge Harbor, Turtle Cove, Rivers End, Hideaway on the Gulf, and Demi John. These are voluntary evacuation locations where high storm surge is possible.
Harvey is expected to strike the Texas coastline between Corpus Cristi and Matagorda Bay late Friday as a category 3 storm.
Calhoun, San Patricio and Refugio counties were evacuated Thursday, and residents on the Gulf Side of the Intracoastal Canal in Brazoria County have also been evacuated.
A voluntary evacuation has been ordered for residents on the West End of the island. An voluntary evacuation for Bolivar Peninsula begins at 8 Friday morning.
The last hurricane to affect the Houston area was Ike in 2008, though the slow-moving pattern of Harvey is reminding many of 2001’s Tropical Storm Allison.
JACKSON COUNTY
Jackson County under voluntary evacuation.
MATAGORDA COUNTY
Matagorda County is issued mandatory evacuations, in effect beginning at 8a.m. Friday morning. Law enforcement with the Matagorda County Sheriff Office says they will not be responding to emergency calls from residents who choose to remain in the evacuation area after Friday.