El huracán Harvey, el de mayor fuerza que ha tocado territorio estadounidense en 12 años, ha dejado ciudades devastadas en la costa este del estado de Texas y la amenaza de precipitaciones torrenciales que podrían causar “dramáticas inundaciones” con una altura de hasta 1,3 metros.
EFE
“Nuestra principal preocupación sigue siendo unas inundaciones dramáticas”, dijo hoy el gobernador texano, Greg Abbott, en una rueda de prensa en Austin (Texas), desde donde se está coordinando la respuesta al ciclón.
Según explicó Abott, Harvey ya ha dejado inundaciones de hasta medio metro de altura en la ciudad costera de Corpus Christi y concentraciones de hasta 40 centímetros de altura en Houston, zonas ya saturadas por el agua y que podrían llegar a registrar inundaciones de 1,3 metros de altura.
Precisamente, entre las ciudades con mayor riesgo de inundaciones se encuentra Houston, la cuarta más grande de EE.UU. con una población de dos millones de personas y donde las autoridades activaron la alerta por tornados e inundaciones ante la posibilidad de que las lluvias desborden los ríos que atraviesan la urbe.
Frente a esa amenaza, tres prisiones del sur de Houston tuvieron que evacuar a sus 4.500 reclusos y trasladarlos en autobús a otras cárceles, informó en un comunicado el Departamento de Justicia Criminal de Texas (TDCJ).
Mientras la amenaza de lluvias y tornados se cierne sobre Texas, algunas ciudades tratan de recuperarse del impacto del huracán, que tocó tierra el viernes sobre las 22.00 hora local (03.00 GMT del sábado) con una potencia de categoría 4 en la escala de intensidad de Saffir-Simpson, de un máximo de 5.
Según el Centro Nacional de Huracanes (CNH), en las últimas horas, Harvey se ha debilitado a tormenta tropical al registrar vientos sostenidos de 110 kilómetros por hora, muy inferiores a las corrientes de 215 kilómetros por hora con las que llegó ayer a Estados Unidos.
El huracán tocó tierra en Rockport, una ciudad costera de casi 9.000 habitantes que hoy amaneció desolada con calles convertidas en auténticos ríos, árboles derribados, señales de tráfico arrancadas, edificios derruidos y hasta barcos dados la vuelta por la fuerza del viento, según mostraron las televisiones locales.
En declaraciones al canal meteorológico The Weather Channel, el alcalde de Rockport, Charles “C.J.” Wax, aseguró que el ciclón ha dejado una “devastación generalizada” y que “algunas casas, escuelas y negocios fueron fuertemente dañados o incluso completamente destruidos”.
El impacto fue tal que, en la ciudad de Rockport, diez personas resultaron heridas, según medios locales.
Por el momento, el Gobierno de Texas no ha ofrecido cifras sobre el número de heridos y tampoco sobre si alguna persona ha fallecido como consecuencia del ciclón, aunque el gobernador del estado se comprometió a dar esos datos tan pronto como pueda comunicarse con las autoridades municipales.
En los últimos días, decenas de miles de personas abandonaron sus casas en la costa de Texas y huyeron hacia el interior siguiendo las órdenes de las autoridades, quienes pidieron a quienes decidieran quedarse que escribieran sus datos en sus antebrazos con el fin de que las autoridades puedan identificarlos si sufren algún daño.
En general, la población del Texas recibió el huracán con nerviosismo y algunos de los diarios del estado conservador, como The Victoria Advocate, abrieron hoy sus portadas con alusiones a Dios y con un llamativo titular: “los rezos nos protegerán”.
Cerca de 300.000 personas en Texas se han quedado sin electricidad y la vuelta de la corriente podría tardar días debido a los fuertes vientos, según dijo el gobernador Abbott.
A pesar de que las previsiones apuntaron a que el ciclón llegaría hasta el estado de Luisiana, Harvey se quedará las próximas 48 horas en Texas hasta desaparecer.
El huracán Harvey es el primer desastre natural al que se enfrenta el presidente de EE.UU., Donald Trump y, por ello, muchos analistas están atentos a su respuesta para evaluar sus capacidades de mando.
En Twitter, el presidente aseguró hoy que está vigilando “de cerca” el paso del ciclón y dijo haber oído “alto y claro” el mensaje del senador republicano Chuck Grassley, quien ayer aconsejó a Trump que no repitiera “los mismos errores” que el presidente George W. Bush cometió con el huracán Katrina en 2005.
Entonces, Bush fue duramente criticado por la tardía respuesta que dio a la devastación que dejó en Nueva Orleans (Luisiana) el huracán Katrina.
Para evitar una situación similar, en el mismo momento en el que el huracán tocó EE.UU., Trump firmó una declaración de desastre para Texas, que le permite enviar asistencia federal para ayudar en las labores de reconstrucción.
People walk dogs through flooded streets as the effects of Hurricane Henry are seen August 26, 2017 in Galveston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey left a trail of devastation Saturday after the most powerful storm to hit the US mainland in over a decade slammed into Texas, destroying homes, severing power supplies and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiPeople walk through flooded streets as the effects of Hurricane Henry are seen August 26, 2017 in Galveston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey left a trail of devastation Saturday after the most powerful storm to hit the US mainland in over a decade slammed into Texas, destroying homes, severing power supplies and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiA boy plays in a flooded street as the effects of Hurricane Henry are seen August 26, 2017 in Galveston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey left a trail of devastation Saturday after the most powerful storm to hit the US mainland in over a decade slammed into Texas, destroying homes, severing power supplies and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiA boy walks with a bodyboard through a flooded street as the effects of Hurricane Henry are seen August 26, 2017 in Galveston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey left a trail of devastation Saturday after the most powerful storm to hit the US mainland in over a decade slammed into Texas, destroying homes, severing power supplies and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiVehicles drive through a flooded street as the effects of Hurricane Henry are seen August 26, 2017 in Galveston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey left a trail of devastation Saturday after the most powerful storm to hit the US mainland in over a decade slammed into Texas, destroying homes, severing power supplies and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiGALVESTON, TX – AUGUST 26: A vehicle navigates a street flooded by rain from Hurricane Harvey on August 26, 2017 in Galveston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late last night, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in Texas over the next couple of days. Scott Olson/Getty Images/AFPDA108. Corpus Christi (United States), 26/08/2017.- A traffic signal felled by the high winds of Hurricane Harvey lies on a street in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4. The last time a major hurricane of this size to hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- Rescue workers search for survivors in a structure damaged by Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- Law enforcement officials search for survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- Motorists drive through flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- A motorist drives past a car caught in flood water in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- A broken utility pole is suspended over a street in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- A broken utility pole is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- A utility pole lies across a street in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- Firefighters search for survivors in homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Incendio, Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- A flooded street is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- Debris is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- Firefighters search for survivors in a home damaged by Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Incendio, Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATEDA110. Rockport (United States), 26/08/2017.- A law enforcement official walks away from a ruined home after searching it for survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, USA, 26 August 2017. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the south coast of Texas as a major hurricane category 4, and was the worst storm to hit the city of Rockport in 47 years. The last time a major hurricane of this size hit the United States was in 2005. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/DARREN ABATE
