Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta signed a disaster declaration Monday ahead of the looming threat of Tropical Storm Laura. Be prepared. HOUSTON (CW 39) – Wednesday morning Hurricane Laura intensified into a Category 3 major hurricane. The roadway is impassable by High Island near Bolivar Peninsula due to large rocks covering the street. Galveston Mayor Pro Tem Craig Brown signed an order which prevents people from being on public streets or … “Evacuees can arrive at location at 9 am, Tuesday, Aug 25th, 2020.”. RELATED: Texans hit stores to buy emergency supplies despite the uncertainty of tropical storms. This includes working with the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to have the information and resources they need to prepare for the storm’s arrival.”. Residents in the Bolivar Penisula are still preparing for Hurricane Laura Wednesday. Galveston implements curfew due to Hurricane Laura There will be a curfew in place for residents in the City of Galveston while Hurricane Laura passes through the area. If you are in need of emergency care during those hours, the emergency center at HCA Houston Southeast, 4000 Spencer Highway in Pasadena, will remain open. The company reports that more than 56,647 affected customers. ©2020 FOX Television Stations, Laura becomes hurricane in Gulf of Mexico; forecast to become major hurricane. The city of Houston is under a Tropical Storm Watch with coastal portions of the city under a Storm Surge Watch. Portions of Seabrook, specifically lower Todville from Red Bluff south to SH 146 and Baywood Drive, are most prone to storm surge and flooding. The strengthening storm is predicted to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday at major Category 3 intensity. Alfreda Henderson and her daughter Miracle, 5, walk to a charter bus that will evacuate them from Galveston Island to Austin in anticipation of impact from Hurricane Laura, Aug. 25, … “Confidence is beginning to increase in a track over Southwest Louisiana or far East Texas. Any person found on the public right of way and not evacuating may be stopped by law enforcement and subject to a misdemeanor and an up to $1,000 fine. “Residents should follow the Hurricane Evacuation Routes outlined in the attached 2020 Evacuation Routes document.”. Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia announced that he had issued mandatory evacuation orders for at-risk areas in Chambers County, effective immediately. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner talks about Hurricane Laura storm preparations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We still cannot rule out a shift to the West; this would bring more severe storm surge and winds to Montgomery County.”. The curfew prevents people from being on public streets and right-of-ways. For full details, please visit https://t.co/WYCC3dieft ^S pic.twitter.com/kdFTPzzLuv, NEW: I’ve just signed a disaster declaration for Harris County.This will give us additional flexibility to respond and recover to any impacts from Hurricane #Laura pic.twitter.com/ihNIuOzfgx. “It is encouraged that residents use these routes instead of flooded roads,” officials wrote. The city of Galveston issued a voluntary evacuation order ahead of Tropical Storm Laura. During times of a disaster, only use 911 if it is a life-threatening emergency. A man was spotted on top of a flooded vehicle in Vinton, Louisiana. The hurricane has strengthened to a major Category 3 storm with winds of 115 mph. LIST: Evacuations ordered in these SE Texas counties and cities. Wednesday, August 26, 2020 HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Ahead of Hurricane Laura's arrival, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued voluntary evacuations effective immediately for … Galveston County Judge Mark Henry issued a disaster declaration for the area just hours after the city of Galveston issued a voluntary evacuation order ahead of Tropical Storm Laura. A self-evacuation reception center for Hurricane Laura evacuees is open at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 850 South IH45, Ennis, TX 75119. The curfew will go back into effect at 8 p.m. Jefferson County residents are preparing to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Laura. The declaration will take effect immediately and will last no longer than seven days, according to official documents. Residents who live in unincorporated areas of Galveston County should check with their local authorities before returning home. The man said he had been traveling overnight. HOUSTON (CW39) — Galveston has issued curfews for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights as Hurricane Laura approaches the greater Houston area. “Forecasts are showing the possibility of heavy rains, tropical force winds, and storm surge impacting our area,” Henry said in a press conference Monday afternoon. Hurricane Laura’s chances of having a shift in its path-- closer to Houston -- are looking less and less likely. Coast Guard personnel and other emergency responders may not be able to evacuate or rescue those in danger during the storm. “Multiple Texas Army National Guard ground transportation teams with high profile vehicles are currently moving to support local and state agencies,” the governor’s office wrote in a release. Galveston residents have been issued a mandatory evacuation and a curfew is now in place for those choosing to ride it out. 4:30 p.m. Abbott said search and rescue teams have been dispatched, but so far, there have been no reports of missing persons in Texas areas. Be prepared, stay informed and heed storm warnings. The Hurricane Laura call center is open for Montgomery County residents. Published September 11, 2020. Read more here. And the water there of the gulf look at those ways those angry waves as hurricane Laura works its ... city of Houston which got hit so hard by hurricane. Officials say the curfews are for the protection of residents and their property from any potential looting. The two locations are Lamar State College Orange, 410 Front Street in Orange and Vidor Elementary, 400 Old Hwy 90 E in Vidor. “This storm potentially presents a serious threat to the life safety and property of our residents.” Read more here. The district said there will be no classes for virtual at-home learners or in-person learners on these closure dates. “This Disaster Declaration was signed in the event of severe flooding, storm surge, and damaging winds due to tropical weather,” officials wrote. The curfew will be in place from Tuesday night through Friday morning. uh the winds uh concerns to us. Due to the potential for storm-surge, the City of Seabrook determined it is in the best interest of the residents in the area to make preparations to leave. Seats on the bus will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please visit the website for further info including a timeline & more about evacuation procedures: https://t.co/rH6iug754v pic.twitter.com/oRG7CPoLfV. An additional announcement will be made later today once the transportation routes to the Bolivar Peninsula are reopened.”. At this time, the planned locations to receive evacuees and the locations of hotels for evacuees are not being made public. With a mere few hours until landfall, Houston is bracing itself for Hurricane Laura gaining momentum in the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters. Landfall is expected between midnight and 3 a.m. Thursday. Those orders were lifted Thursday morning after Hurricane Laura made landfall about 120 miles east of Houston. North Channel is scheduled to reopen at 7 p.m. Thursday. 4:20 p.m. Houston residents in the voluntary evacuation zone who call 311 will be directed to … Hurricanes and tropical storms can be deadly and our ability to conduct rescues can be diminished or non-existent at the height of a storm. Here’s a breakdown of estimated outage times from the company: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced Monday that tolls on the Harris County Tollway have been waived as residents evacuate areas that are expected to be hardest hit. RELATED: Laura becomes hurricane in Gulf of Mexico; forecast to become major hurricane. KPRC 2′s reporters visited areas all along the Gulf Coast to meet with officials and residents who spent Monday preparing for severe weather. GALVESTON, Texas — There will be a curfew in place for residents in the City of Galveston while Hurricane Laura passes through the area. With the potential impact that Tropical Storm Laura may have in the Houston area, the Houston Astros have made some changes to their schedule this week. “Residents who reside in low lying and flood prone areas and those who live in trailer/manufactured homes are required to move to a safer location,” officials wrote. Texas Department of Transporation and the Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards have closed sections of Interstate 10. 2 of 137 Sara Ellis reacts as she talks about coming home to a partially destroyed house after Hurricane Laura moved through the area Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in Holmwood, … Some of this information will be provided in subsequent updates.”. HOUSTON – The City of Galveston has implemented a series of curfews over the next three nights ahead of Hurricane Laura. There is a mandatory evacuation order for residents who live in low-lying and flood-prone areas. The public should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through local television, radio, and the Internet. Meteorologist at Harris County Flood Control District, Jeff Lindner confirmed to KPRC 2 chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley the City of Port Arthur will be ordering a mandatory evacuation effective at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. The tolls had been waived for the past couple of days while voluntary evacuation orders were in effect. RELATED: Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry to close Tuesday at 11:30 p.m. Galveston Mayor Pro Tem Craig Brown signed the order Tuesday implementing the curfew, which prevents people from being on public streets or right-of-way and begins at 10 p.m. tonight. “The animals will be cared for during the storm by a select group of team members who will stay at the Zoo throughout the weather event,” zoo officials wrote. Tuesday at 10 p.m. until Wednesday 6 a.m. Wednesday at 8 p.m. until Thursday at 6 a.m. Thursday at 8 p.m. until Friday at 6 a.m. (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. The declaration affects multiple areas including, Tiki Island, San Leon, Baycliff, Hitchcock, the Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston. Passengers leaving or arriving in Houston are asked to check the airline directly. The Hurricane Laura call center is open for Montgomery County residents. portion of this island and portion of this island and that would bring a lot more that would bring a lot more concerns to us. Officials said the Coast can experience between two to five feet in surge. HOUSTON (CW39) — Galveston has issued curfews for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights as Hurricane Laura approaches the greater Houston area. The number is 936-523-3918. If you need help with the Public File, call (713) 778-4745. There has been heavy damage to the city as a result of Hurricane Laura. According to TxDOT, the eastbound and westbound lanes in Lake Charles are closed. 1:30 p.m. It will be against the law for anyone who doesn't have the proper authority, to be on public streets or rights-of-way within the City of Galveston on the following days between the designated hours:- Tues., August 25 at 10:00 pm until Wed., August 26 at 6:00 am;- Wed., August 26 at 8:00 pm until Thurs., August 27 at 6:00 am;- Thurs., August 27 at 8:00 pm until Fri., August 28 at 6:00 am. The lake will be lowered to about 41 feet which is 18 inches below full pool officials said. The 10 a.m. NHC forecast is out and there have been no major changes in the track for Marco and Laura. The voluntary evacuation has since upgraded to a mandatory evacuation as of Tuesday. Galveston County Judge Mark Henry issued a disaster declaration for the area just hours after the city of Galveston issued a voluntary evacuation order ahead of Tropical Storm Laura. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that all Texas Department of Transportation tolls will be wavied along the agency’s portion of SH99/Grand Parkway beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday. In 2008, Hurricane Ike gave us our first glimpse at a serious hurricane in more than 20 years. Thankfully for Houston, the track forecast has held up to our east, as Laura has quite simply exploded overnight, exactly what we were afraid of. EVACUATIONS: These are all the evacuation orders in place in the Houston area. Preparations also were underway Wednesday in Houston, hit hard by Hurricane Harvey just three years ago. The center is for those fleeing coastal areas so evacuees can receive assistance in identifying the most appropriate shelter location. If mandatory evacuations are set for an area, the public should evacuate without delay. Busses will depart at 8 a.m. Each evacuee is allowed to bring one suitcase and one small personal item. Hurricane Laura has forced evacuations of over half a million people in Texas and Louisiana ahead of its expected landfall along the Gulf Coast early Thursday. CLICK HERE FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DETAILS ON LAURA, This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A curfew will be in effect from 8 p.m. tonight until 6 a.m. Thursday. From CPPJ – The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury will lift the parish’s mandatory evacuation, effective immediately, as stated by … “As Hurricane Laura approaches Texas, this waiver will ensure that Texans are able to evacuate efficiently ahead of the storm,” Abbott said in the release. Landfall is expected between midnight and 3 a.m. Thursday. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or to sustaining damage. Latest forecast updates from KPRC 2 Meteorologists, LIST: These are all the evacuation orders in place in the Houston area, SCHOOL CLOSURES: All the Houston-area schools, districts and colleges that will be closed due to severe weather, LIVE SOCIAL FEED: What Houston’s experts are saying about Laura and Marco right now, Here is KPRC2′s 2020 Hurricane & Flood Survival Guide. The busses will depart from Anahuac High School and Winnie-Stowell Park early Wednesday morning. Texas Department of Public Safety offices will remain closed, tolls on the Harris County Tollway have been waived, KPRC 2 reporters are covering severe weather from Brazoria County to Louisiana. While the path of Tropical Storm Laura and Tropical Storm Marco remain uncertain Monday evening, residents and local leaders are taking preemptive measures to stay safe. These will be two 7-inning games. “I urge Texans in the area to continue to take all necessary precautions as Hurricane Laura nears the coast and heed the guidance of local officials.”. GALVESTON, Texas — There will be a curfew in place for residents in the City of Galveston while Hurricane Laura passes through the area. Both Hidalgo and Turner said that’s just too close for comfort. Boats that can be trailered should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. 1 of 136 Sara Ellis reacts as she talks about coming home to a partially destroyed house after Hurricane Laura moved through the area Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in Holmwood, La. The Harris County DL mega centers and the DL office in Angleton will be closed starting Wednesday at noon through Thursday at least. 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