Houston Mayor Imposes Curfew To Ensure Public Safety

<p>Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as&nbsp;Harvey&nbsp;poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.</p>

Tuesday, August 29th 2017, 10:06 pm

By: News 9


Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.

CBS News has confirmed the number of evacuees in a convention center in the city swelled to 9,021 overnight. Many stayed without beds. Its capacity is supposed to be 5,000.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner imposed a curfew starting Tuesday from 12 a.m. until 5 a.m. Central Time to ensure public safety.

The nation's fourth-largest city remained mostly paralyzed by one of the largest downpours in U.S. history. And there was no relief in sight from the storm that spun into Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, then parked over the Gulf Coast.

With significant amounts of rain expected on top of the 30-plus inches in some places, authorities worried the worst might be yet to come.

futurerainfall.jpg

 CBS NEWS

Harvey has been blamed for at least eight confirmed deaths, including a woman killed Monday in the town of Porter, northeast of Houston, when a large oak tree dislodged by heavy rains toppled onto her trailer home.

Rescuers continued plucking people from the floodwaters. Overwhelmed by thousands of rescue calls, they've had little time to search for other potential victims.

Turner put the number by police at more than 3,000. The Coast Guard said it also had rescued more than 3,175 and was taking more than 1,000 calls per hour. At this time, more than 113 pets have been rescued. 

Follow along below for live updates on the storm. All times are Eastern unless otherwise noted.


9:25 p.m.: Harvey death toll raises to 8

The total confirmed fatalities now stands at eight, following a storm-related fatality in Beaumont/Jefferson County, Texas, CBS News confirms.

Beaumont police say a woman died after she and her young daughter were swept into a rain-swollen drainage canal while trying to escape their stalled vehicle.

A police statement said the woman pulled her vehicle into a theater parking lot about 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, where it became stalled by high water. The woman then took her daughter, exited the car and was swept about a half-mile away.

Two Beaumont police officers and two fire-rescue divers in a rubber boat spotted the mother floating with the child, who was holding onto her mother. Officers pulled the child and the mother into the boat. The child was responsive but suffering from hypothermia; the mother was unresponsive and efforts to revive her failed. The child is hospitalized in stable condition.

Authorities and family members have so far reported more than a dozen deaths from Harvey.

Deaths so far:

5 in Harris County

1 in Montgomery County (fallen tree)

1 in Aransas County (fire)

1 in Jefferson County (drowning)

8:45 p.m.: Houston mayor modifies curfew

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner modified the curfew to start at 12 a.m. Central Time to give volunteers and others more time. 

8:30 p.m.: Coast Guard Update

The United States Coast Guard has saved 4,322 lives in Houston area since Sunday, according to Capt. Kevin Oditt.

Officials say the Coast Guard continues to operate rescues of stranded people in Houston.

8 p.m.: 2 additional shelters cleared to open in Houston

Two more shelters were cleared to open Tuesday in Houston as the George R. Brown Convention Center reached nearly double its maximum capacity, Gov. Greg Abbott told CBS News.

Abbott said the Toyota Center -- located just one block from the George R. Brown Convention Center -- and the NRG Center, also known as the Astrodome, was given clearance to open.

Abbott said the accommodations were not open right away because he "would assume" the need was not anticipated, as the storm grew faster than they though.

The official capacity of the George R. Brown Convention Center is 5,000, but more than 9,000 evacuees are currently there.

7:42 p.m.: Houston mayor announces curfew

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced at a press conference that a curfew will be put in place starting Tuesday in Houston from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Central Time.

Turner said he doesn't want people in shelters right now to worry about their homes or possessions from looters.

The curfew will be in place "until I decide otherwise," Turner said.

8:30 p.m.: Coast Guard Update

The United States Coast Guard has saved 4,322 lives in Houston area since Sunday, according to Capt. Kevin Oditt.

Officials say the Coast Guard continues to operate rescues of stranded people in Houston.

8 p.m.: 2 additional shelters cleared to open in Houston

Two more shelters were cleared to open Tuesday in Houston as the George R. Brown Convention Center reached nearly double its maximum capacity, Gov. Greg Abbott told CBS News.

Abbott said the Toyota Center -- located just one block from the George R. Brown Convention Center -- and the NRG Center, also known as the Astrodome, was given clearance to open.

Abbott said the accommodations were not open right away because he "would assume" the need was not anticipated, as the storm grew faster than they though.

The official capacity of the George R. Brown Convention Center is 5,000, but more than 9,000 evacuees are currently there.

7:42 p.m.: Houston mayor announces curfew

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced at a press conference that a curfew will be put in place starting Tuesday in Houston from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Central Time.

Turner said he doesn't want people in shelters right now to worry about their homes or possessions from looters.

The curfew will be in place "until I decide otherwise," Turner said.

Imposing curfew from 10 pm to 5 am to stop any property crimes against evacuated homes in city limits.

— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 29, 2017

NEW: Houston mayor imposes curfew starting tonight 10pm-5am https://t.co/u3SoRDUpkY pic.twitter.com/uTYWjpV7o6

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) August 29, 2017

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Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.

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