Tropical Storm Harvey continues to ravage Texas, bringing with it destructive winds, record flooding, and damage officials are calling “catastrophic, unprecedented, and life-threatening.” CNN reports that more than 1,000 people were rescued overnight Saturday from the flash floods, which in some places outside Houston have risen to more than 17 feet. At least two have died from the storm, and Houston mayor Sylvester Turner announced the wind and rain is expected to last at least four to five more days.
Since Harvey made landfall, Twitter has become as steady feed for those seeking both help and information, with photos of the damage sweeping far and wide and families trapped using the social network site as a way to make contact with local authorities, neighbors with boats, and rescue workers.
Among the many gripping rescue stories emerging is one of the KHOU 11 News team and its reporter Brandi Smith.
Smith was on the ground with her camera crew reporting on the rising flood waters, when she noticed a tractor-trailer had become submerged beneath the road they were on. Inside, the driver was conscious but stuck—the water in his cab quickly getting deeper.
“Sir, are you OK? Can you get to the top of your vehicle? Can you get to the top of your truck? Do not climb into the water,” she called out to him, looking around for help. Miraculously, moments later a sheriff’s truck drives by hauling a rescue boat. Smith turns around and starts flagging down the officers to come to the man’s rescue.
After giving the Harris County Sheriff’s officers the rundown, she turns back to the man in the truck. “Sir, they’re putting the boat in just now! They are on their way!” she yelled.
Still live, Smith stayed rolling throughout the entire 10-minute rescue mission, even though the camera crew didn’t realize they’d been knocked off the air due to flooding at KHOU 11’s headquarters in downtown Houston. She says at one point during the video, voice crackling as she speaks, “I cannot imagine how terrifying it would be to be in that place right now. Put yourself in that place: your car is filling with water. Help is on the way, he is incredibly lucky.”
Smith later posted the entire, chilling rescue on her Facebook page to let viewers know the truck driver had made it out safely. At the end, she breaks from “reporter” mode to give the man a hug, nearly in tears that he’s unharmed.
“I just thank God that you all were here to put me back on land safely,” the driver tells her.
With hundreds of thousands estimated to be affected by the storm—and further catastrophic levels of rainfall expected to hit Texas into the next week—there are myriad ways you can help relief efforts now. Various charities are taking donations, including the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross (text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to relief efforts), the Texas Diaper Bank, and Save the Children. You may also consider donating to the SPCA of Texas to help animals harmed or displaced by the storm, as well as to GoFundMe, which created a hub for all its grassroots Harvey-related fundraisers.
Additionally, Airbnb has created a portal for people in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio to offer free room and board for those affected by Harvey. The company is waiving all service fees between August 23 and September 1.
For up-to-the minute information on the storm (along with evacuation instructions from officials), NBC Nightly News has compiled a comprehensive Twitter thread. Follow it here.
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