05 September, 2017
But now, as the waters begin to recede, residents of all colours and socio-economic statuses find themselves united in loss, despair and resilience.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that a years-long recovery lay ahead, and appealed to Congress to step up and approve huge funding for reconstruction.
Harvey, which came ashore on August 25 as the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in 50 years, has killed an estimated 47 people and displaced more than 1 million after causing wreckage in an area stretching for more than 300 miles (480 kms).
But the recovery effort is just beginning in the hardest-hit areas, with the White House estimating that 100,000 homes have been damaged and state authorities putting the number at 185,000.
He had previously said the state might need more than $125bn in aid, but revised that figure up on Sunday.
This image obatined from the NASA's GOES Project shows Hurricane Irma on September 4, 2017. "This is going to be a multi-year project for Texas to be able to dig out of this catastrophe", he added.
"There was a lot of high-fiving about how well this disaster was being handled even as people were on their rooftops hoping to be rescued", said David Axelrod, a top adviser to former USA president Barack Obama.
"This is not just a "Hey, what's the problem" photo op". "People need to know that their president is emotionally engaged in their struggle and part of the obligation or the responsibility of a president, particularly in a media age, is to make that human connection". "And I'm encouraging people to get up and let's get going", Turner told NBC News.
There was a quick and effective effort to evacuate residents and get them to shelters. Most were taken to the Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas, but others went to smaller shelters in the area.
"It don't matter if you're black, white, Latino, we're here to help" Houston, he said.
Since Tuesday night, NRG has sheltered almost 4,200 people, with more than 1,700 present during Trump's visit.
"If they have a plan", Silva said, "they don't tell us". FEMA has already placed more than 1,800 flood survivors in hotels, Long said. He is now hoping to reach $20 million. Homes that are not now flooded probably will not be affected, officials said.
Mayor Sylvester Turner is now calling for mandatory evacuation in the west Houston area near the Addicks reservoir where houses are flooded. It's often contaminated with sewage, chemicals and debris, including glass and other sharp objects. The action will deliberately flood as many as 20,000 homes.
"Americans have always come to the aid of their fellow countrymen - friend helping friend, neighbor helping neighbor, and stranger helping stranger - and we vow to do so in response to Hurricane Harvey".
Some 190,000 homes were damaged and another 13,500 were destroyed, the Texas Department of Public Safety said on Monday.
"Yes, it was a very serious storm, historic, unprecedented, but the city of Houston is open for business".
The storm surges during 2005's Hurricane Katrina breached the dozens of levees protecting New Orleans and its below-sea-level neighborhoods. The relief fund has-incredibly-now raised more than $17 million in under a week.
No one was asking if someone was a Democrat or a Republican before they lifted them into their boat. But the city isn't a major hub for air cargo.
Flooding danger is far from over in places such as Beaumont, Texas, a city of 118,000 dealing with a cruel juxtaposition: inundated in spots with floodwater as its residents lack flowing tap water because two pumps there failed.