No Relief In Sight: Harvey Expected To Dump Another 2 Feet Of Rain

HOUSTON, Texas (CBS/AP) -- Floodwaters reached the roof lines 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.

The nation's fourth-largest city was still largely 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 itself over the Gulf Coast. With nearly 2 more feet of rain expected, authorities worried whether the worst was yet to come.

According to CBS3 meteorologist Lauren Casey, the amount of rain that has fallen in Houston so far is akin to 18 feet of snow.

Harvey has been blamed for at least three 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.

Houston CBS affiliate KHOU-TV reports six members of the same family -- four children and their grandparents -- are feared dead after their van was swept away by the rushing water.

Gov. Greg Abbott says more than 30,000 Texans are in shelters right now.

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Many others have been brought to dry land but still need shelter.

President Donald Trump will be visiting Texas on Tuesday and says that 8,500 federal workers are helping the state.

"We're one American family. We hurt together, we struggle together and, believe me, we endure together. We're one family," said Trump, adding he might visit Texas and Louisiana on Saturday, too.

Trump added that "recovery will be a long and difficult road."

"We ask God for his wisdom and strength. We will get through this. We will come out stronger and, believe me, we will be bigger, better, stronger than ever before," said Trump.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says crews have rescued more than 2,000 people trapped by the flooding.

Officials hope another 185 requests for help will be resolved by the end of the day.

The entire Texas National Guard has been activated to supplement the search and rescue efforts, increasing the number of mobilized Guard members from 3,000 to 12,000.

The unrelenting rain from Tropical Storm Harvey is falling in Houston, pushing flood waters higher and higher.

"We almost died. We've been in deplorable conditions," said Doreenia Cole.

Rescue teams worked all night helping stranded people and good Samaritans, like Jeff Chase, are using their own boats to reach victims.

"If everyone did this, we would have a lot less to worry about," said Chase.

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Emergency crews are overwhelmed, rescuing at least 2,000 people since Friday evening. Thousands more are still waiting for help to arrive.

"We realize there are people out there and we will get them," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

FEMA is urging boat owners to join the rescue effort.

"We need citizens to be involved. This is a landmark event," said FEMA Administrator William Long.

Adding to the catastrophic flooding, authorities had to release water from several reservoirs that are overflowing. They hope the move protects downtown Houston, but it could make flooding even worse around thousands of homes.

"We are releasing smaller amounts of water now, to prevent larger uncontrolled releases when the water starts going around the dam," said Dr. Edmond Russo, deputy district engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District.

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The rising water forced Fabian Perez and his young children from their home in the middle of the night with just the clothes on their backs.

"Nobody has shoes, we just took whatever we could," said Perez. "The water was waist deep all the way along."

Perez made it to one of the dozens of shelters that are popping up in the Houston area and he could be there for some time.

Harvey is expected to dump up to 50 inches of rain before it leaves the area Wednesday.

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