Democrat Mayor of Houston ignores Fed warning in Hurricane Harvey
Democratic Mayor of Houston (Sylvester Turner) ignores Fed warning in Hurricane Harvey
1. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) warns Texans in Houston
On Friday, before Harvey made landfall, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) encouraged residents to evacuate low lying and coastal areas, even if a mandatory evacuation order had not been issued.
“Even if an evacuation order hasn’t been issued by your local official, if you’re in an area between Corpus Christi and Houston, you need to strongly consider evacuating,” Abbott said at a news conference. “What you don’t know, and what nobody else knows right now, is the magnitude of flooding that will be coming.
“You don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you could be subject to a search and rescue.”
The governor’s warning was in sharp contrast to the advice local and county officials had been dispensing for days: Shelter and stay in place.
Widespread Evacuations Ordered in Texas in advance of Hurricane Harvey. Heed the warnings. Don’t risk your life. https://t.co/S7NRDYyCcC
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 24, 2017
HEADS UP Texans along the coast. #TropicalStormHarvey may cause heavy flooding & damage. Get prepared & stay safe. https://t.co/JPHeRhf1mB
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 24, 2017
Texans near Corpus Christi please follow this advice to stay safe. #Harvey https://t.co/KBlitWoHCM
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 24, 2017
Spoke with Pres. Trump & heads of Homeland Security & FEMA. They’re helping Texas respond to #HurricaneHarvey. pic.twitter.com/dr0rig9DNK
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 24, 2017
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) told residents to prepare for “a very major disaster” in Hurricane Harvey during a Friday news conference.
Despite no mandatory evacuations being issued, Abbott urged citizens to evacuate from low-lying and coastal areas while there is still time. Harvey, he said, “has turned into a very complex and dangerous hurricane,” and said the state will be “dealing with immense, really record-setting flooding in multiple regions across the state of Texas.”
“Even if an evacuation order hasn’t been issued by your local official,” Abbott stressed, “if you’re in an area between Corpus Christi and Houston, you need to strongly consider evacuating.”
Abbott said that mandatory evacuation orders are left up to local officials who have the best understanding of their regions, and that he has already sent a request to President Trump to declare a major federal disaster in Texas.
Nevertheless, Abbott’s rightful and laudable efforts to manage the hurricanes continue unabated.
Today I'm hosting a meeting at the state emergency operation center about our response to #HurricaneHarvey. pic.twitter.com/FcakawkhFt
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 25, 2017
Pres. Trump granted my request for a disaster declaration allowing FEMA to swiftly help Texans rebuild their lives from #hurricaineharvey.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 26, 2017
I welcomed evacuees from #HurricaneHarvey to a San Antonio shelter. They showed the typical resilient Texas spirit. https://t.co/kotSXx9JCa
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 26, 2017
Thank you for the tremendous support you and your staff have provided Texas. Together we will overcome this challenge. #HurricaneHarvery https://t.co/MYtT7vMvnx
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 27, 2017
I’m adding 1,000 more National Guard to Houston tomorrow. https://t.co/ZrVX0LNPC0
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 28, 2017
I've now activated 12,000 Texas National Guard, our entire Guard, to respond to #HurricaneHarvey #txlege https://t.co/XllGETvZ2b
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 28, 2017
Important advice https://t.co/9mXg5p4SyT
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 28, 2017
Oklahoma has been helping. Governor Fallin has contacted me multiple times with aid & support. You are great neighbors. https://t.co/uN4a9DSGRz
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 28, 2017
2. Houston Democrat Mayor, Sylvester Turner, ignores the warning
In contrast, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner purposely ignores the Governor’s warning, either because of complete and woeful incompetence or playing partisan politics, or both. Why setting up weather forecast system and contingent planning at all if they are not to be heeded or used? Here is what Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said on Aug 24, 2017, 3 days before the flood: “Ignore unfounded, unsourced weather predictions that have needlessly frightened Houstonians. Get info from trusted outlets.”
Ignore unfounded, unsourced weather predictions that have needlessly frightened Houstonians. Get info from trusted outlets. @HoustonOEM
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 24, 2017
3. Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management ignores warning
“LOCAL LEADERS KNOW BEST,” Francisco Sanchez, also a Democrat and a spokesman for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, tweeted in response to Abbott’s warning.
There were no evacuation orders in Houston, and orders only existed in a few communities in Harris County, Sanchez stressed on Friday afternoon.
In a follow-up tweet, Sanchez urged residents to heed the advice of local officials, such as Harris County Judge Ed Emmett (D) and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner (D), rather than the governor. In fact, it seems he dismissed or even mocked the governor for not knowing what would be best for the community by adamantly emphasizing “LOCAL LEADERS KNOW BEST” in his tweet.
Local officials know best. Houston has no evacuation order. In Harris County: very limited to select communities. LOCAL LEADERS KNOW BEST. https://t.co/DpW11lb1En
— Francisco Sanchez (@DisasterPIO) August 25, 2017
I live here. I work here. I know here. My job is to protect people here. Local officials like @EdEmmett @SylvesterTurner know best. https://t.co/4H5cgJ97h6
— Francisco Sanchez (@DisasterPIO) August 25, 2017
4. The outcome
Hurricane Harvey turned out to be as Category 4 Hurricane, exactly as forecast, and the city of Houston became severely flooded as a result, as many places were as much as 17 feet underwater. This was in vast contrast with the assessment by Sylvester Turner. Texas Governor Greg Abbott was correct in his recommendation of evacuation of Houston residents. By contrast, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was absolutely erroneous in his ordering Houston residents to stay. Instead of evacuating 6.4 million residents by cars and trucks, now the evacuation of the same number of residents must be done by boats- an undertaking apparently more costly and more challenging.
As expected, the failed Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was quick to blame other factors to deflect criticism of his unwise and costly decision.
Long line of compassionate volunteers with boats from Cajun Navy come to the rescue. Houston Flood, Hurricane Harvey. Texas.
5. Houston residents angry over incompetent Democrats putting millions of human lives at risk.
Needless to say, residents of Houston and Harris County caught up as victims in Harvey, the Category 4 Hurricane, and the subsequent flood, were not too kind in their thoughts of the Mayor. Torrential rains and flood were met with torrential tweets from angry residents of Houston and Harris County, including constituents of this racist, incompetent Democratic black Mayor. Here are what people think about this assessment:
You're for sure not trusted. Lying 2 faced snake ? so thanks for the advice but really no thanks! Hope you don't need a first responder?
— Erin Johnson (@erinmomto4) August 25, 2017
This will come back to haunt you. Shameful and irresponsible.
— Bryan Farr (@Weatherbear20) August 28, 2017
good call not evacuating Houston and spending your time mocking warnings from Gov Abbott. Now people are dying
— Veritas (@7_PhoenixRising) August 28, 2017
yeah, only turned out to be the worst storm in years. But, don't panic, he says.
— thom_raindog (@thom_raindog) August 28, 2017
Deaths on your hands
— KJO1971 (@greatagain71) August 27, 2017
Exactly…worrying about people leaving spending money out of town and city get federal assistance we won't see
— Diamonds men's club (@HarlemKnights1) August 28, 2017
YOU HAD WARNINGS AND IGNORED THEM. THEN YOU TOLD THE CITIZENS NOT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE WARNINGS?
— silkyone11 (@silkyone11) August 27, 2017
Did this moron actually say this. Holy crap.
— David Howley (@davehowley54) August 27, 2017
Are you always this stupid? Or is it just a game of politics with you? Sacrifice safety of your citizens to make an argument against Gov A
— Becky Covfefe Deplor (@kriDan1) August 27, 2017
How did that work out for ya?
— Karen Heppner (@TNKaren63) August 27, 2017
Mayor did not tell or plead with residents to prepare for floods, buy food water, etc. This guy should resign! Very irresponsible.
— WITrumpGirl (@ckensingtn) August 27, 2017
Your city is flooding, your constituents are stranded & need life saving help & this was the info you put out?! Shame! #houstonflood #Resign
— Glorimar (@GloriBMe379) August 27, 2017
— Vince Gottalotta (@VinceGottalotta) August 27, 2017
Resign.
— Oh Susie Cue ? (@OhSusieCue) August 27, 2017
@GovAbbott @GregAbbott_TX HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM! LAZY MAYOR! CALL @GovAbbott FOR HELP FOLKS! PRESIDENT TRUMP SENT HELP
— tvogvo (@tvogvo) August 27, 2017
Your constituents are drowning. Shame on you
— Radical Equality (@cjh00000) August 27, 2017
Why did u downplay this storm? Did u want a death toll?
— Pokerhanos (@pokerhanos) August 27, 2017
I know many first responders/firefighters/police…. call him "Turncoat Turner". #TurncoatTurner
— Google = Evil (@newsfakenews) August 28, 2017
This tweet isn't aging well.
— Sean Brown (@Patriot_Beaver) August 27, 2017
How did that work out for you and the city? Now people are DEAD because you are a FOOL.
— WhoIsLaughingNow (@WhoIsLaughin) August 29, 2017
The TRUST SOURCES ARE THE WEATHER FORECASTERS! Houston should have been advised to evacuate long ago!
— DC Insider (@debvader) August 26, 2017
Hey @SylvesterTurner bet you wish you could take this one back right now don't you? Nice call. Put thousands at risk. Good job mayor! ?
— Militant_Texan (@jaredtalkssport) August 28, 2017
It would have helped If days ago you sided with safety precautions, then people could have evacuated.
— Suzanne (@Suzanne_Vacay) August 28, 2017
Blood is on your hands @SylvesterTurner
— Lucky (@Lucky30461563) August 28, 2017
Boy, this tweet didn't age well. You must get your weather reports from CNN.
— spike (@badidea19) August 27, 2017
"Needlessly frightened"? Seriously? Your city is about to be washed away, and you're concerned about people being "needlessly" frightened?
— T.D. (@michsnowbird) August 28, 2017
Why people voted for you is beyond unreal. People are dying here on our State!!
— Myla (@Myla944) August 27, 2017
Are you insane???!!!
— Stop Globalism (@GIAGM2013) August 27, 2017
#resign idiot
— MarcoOscuro (@OscuraPraetoria) August 27, 2017
You truly let your people down!
— ILoveAmerica (@FreeBraveUSA76) August 27, 2017
I smell an election defeat in the future if not an outright impeachment
— Right Byte (@byteontheright) August 28, 2017
You cannot fix stupid.
— Dev Hays (@devhayscpa) August 28, 2017
Better use some of the rain to wash the blood off your hands. Ignorant and partisan. Houston deserves a leader.
— Wilhelm Husky (@Wilhelm_Husk) August 28, 2017
You cost people their lives. The liberal media want be on the stand with you. But they will air it.
— AJ (@AJ4DT2020) August 28, 2017
All forecasters predicted very high rain potential and dangerous flooding, says ago!! What were you thinking? It's Houston. It FLOODS!!
— Griffin's Daughter (@laineymel) August 27, 2017
Ignore? Yes, you certainly did & many preventative measures that you should have put in place weren't. #HoustonFloods
— Griffin's Daughter (@laineymel) August 27, 2017
What the heck – this was a failure on YOU, you own it. Sure you will try to blame others as the days go on, but not listing to GOV was wrong
— RightToAssemble (@OurRightsCount) August 27, 2017
You, sir, have done more to endanger Houstonians than most.
— wernet (@wernet) August 27, 2017
They have said worst storm since 1961 CAT 4 Hurricane, and you ignored it and made no evac plans. Must have got your info from obama.
— 4GENMilitaryPatriot (@YvonneMichell16) August 28, 2017
You own this! The deaths are on you!
— Thomas (@BlackDogRanch1) August 28, 2017
I wonder if this guy will hang himself out of guilt for the countless deaths he caused by making SEVERAL tweets like this. We'll see! ???
— Tom Cuckington (@tomcuck) August 28, 2017
Wow……. what a fool. Clearly leadership is not your forte.
— Robert Browning ?? (@mdpakratt) August 28, 2017
The deaths of the people of Houston are your fault. You politicized the storm & now the people are dying.
— ??Poppy?Fields?? (@Poppy_Fields1) August 27, 2017
DEATHS FROM FLOODS IS BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS. YOU KNEW HOW BAD IT WOULD BE. YOU HAVE NO RE GUARDS FOR HUMAN LIFE..
— silkyone11 (@silkyone11) August 27, 2017
You Sir are wrong!! You are the one who cannot be trusted!!
— Myla (@Myla944) August 27, 2017
The arrogance and indifference to human suffering necessary to perpetrate that bullshit is as horrifying as it is impressive.
— Donald Drumpf (@smugpoochie) August 29, 2017
so how many people ended up dying because of this erroneous information?
— Peter Parker (@mandark61) August 29, 2017
And yet another Dem leader ignoring the advanced warnings and putting people at risk due to his inaction. #PlaytimeOver #PutAdultsinCharge
— Scott Foster (@AlwaysRight90) August 29, 2017
thought u could play politics with your citizens lives, shameful. not unfounded, unsourced or needless; ignoring it was criminal. #POTUS
— Roger Madison (@RogerMadison4) August 28, 2017
looks like they don't elect very bright politicians in Texas..
— Doc Kutter (@DocKutter) August 27, 2017
People are dead, great call by you and your office ignoramus with your disregard Governor Abbot "resistance" bullsh**.
You OWN the deaths.??— DeplorableGil (@GILMONK1) August 27, 2017
How's this work out for ya? Fucking tool
— Scott (@DeadPoolSqrPnts) August 29, 2017
What a putz… you put millions in danger because you hate the president; your a fucking joke and you should be thrown in jail
— Bill Ragan (@4EverSioux1) August 29, 2017
@sylvesterturner how do you feel now that you didn't let people evacuate Houston. Loss of life is on your hands. You're a disgrace.
— Kendra Blassingale (@Kendrakenbaby) August 28, 2017
Hey great job endangering your citizens, you goon.
— Philip Sperling (@philly2shoes) August 28, 2017
Great call "mayor". No need to be frightened, just a little rain…. You sir, are an idiot.
— Billy-Bob Blow (@trenttdogg) August 28, 2017
Seriously, you are an incredible idiot.
— Patrice O'Neal II (@takehissocks) August 28, 2017
Good job idiot.
— de (@diegoengel) August 28, 2017
Ur a f n retarded affirmative action educated fool
— Kda (@Kattaus2016) August 28, 2017
Nice job mayor …Wow. Let's just ignore you it might save more life's ? Can't fix stupid!! ?
— Doug Paulick (@98MVXpress) August 28, 2017
You're a dangerous, sanctimonious POS
— Kektastic (@BasedHeathen) August 28, 2017
You are an idiot and have blood on your hands.
— Chester's Hideaway (@ChestersHideway) August 28, 2017
Talk about dumb ass racist politician pic.twitter.com/8ZmU2u88ek
— ??Pro??45?? (@TrumpSupport13) August 27, 2017
You fucked up Sly bc you hate the gov (and you're a pathetic racist). It's all on you bro
— ?Je ?Suis ?Moi ?? (@MoiDeplorable) August 27, 2017
How'd this one work out for you fucktard?
— Joshua Everetts (@Jeveretts842) August 27, 2017
The citizens of Houston actually voted for this utter moron? You get what u vote for.
— Jay White (@Mrwhitefolkz) August 27, 2017
Idiot! Is Ray Neagin your brother?
— Red Elephant (@BryantsGhost) August 27, 2017
Boy don't YOU look like a dumbass!!
— Fred Flintstone (@FredFli22741653) August 27, 2017
6. Difference with Katrina
The Storms
Katrina: It made landfall near the Louisiana/Mississippi border on Aug. 29, 2005, as a Category 3 storm and measured 350 miles across. However, the relatively low classification, based on wind speed, was deceptive because Katrina produced the highest storm surge ever recorded in the United States.
Harvey: It made landfall in Rockport, Tex., on Friday as a Category 4 storm, measuring 200 miles across, but was quickly downgraded. As of Monday, it was expected to linger for days, causing the National Weather Service to warn, “This event is unprecedented and all impacts are unknown.”
Deaths and Damage
Katrina: One of the deadliest hurricanes ever to strike the United States, Katrina was responsible for 1,833 deaths, and some bodies were untouched for days. The storm inflicted more than $100 billion in damage, with most of it caused by wind, storm surge and the failure of the levees. Katrina also left three million people across the region without power.
Harvey: Local officials have reported at least 10 deaths in Texas since the storm began, and the number could rise. Heavy rains and flooding are expected to continue at least through Friday, and most of the damage could be caused by flooding.
As for the economy, the Gulf region’s capacity as an oil and gas hub — Houston accounted for 2.9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product in 2015 — does not appear to have been seriously compromised, and economists were predicting that the storm’s cost would be less than half that of Katrina’s. So far in Texas, there are 300,000 people without power.
Rainfall
Katrina: Rain was not the main problem with Katrina, which yielded 5 to 10 inches of rainfall in a 48-hour period.
Harvey: By contrast, Harvey brought a deluge, with up to 50 inches of rain predicted over the next several days — more than Houston receives in a year.
Evacuation
Katrina: The mandatory evacuation of New Orleans was announced a day before the storm hit. An estimated 100,000 people remained stuck in the city. A few weeks later, in another chaotic evacuation, more than 100 people died leaving the Houston area to escape Hurricane Rita.
Harvey: Houston did not call on residents to evacuate and is now urging those who can to shelter in place. However, as the rain continued on Monday, a growing number of other jurisdictions — like Bay City, which expected 10 feet of water downtown — urged residents to leave.
Assistance
Katrina: displaced over a million people and damaged or destroyed 275,000 homes. Almost a million households received individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Harvey: We don’t know yet how many people will be forced out of their homes. But the vast majority of homes in Harvey’s path are not insured against flooding, according to figures from the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA officials estimated that 450,000 people were likely to seek federal aid.
Summary
Katrina: Evacuation chaos and mostly unfounded panic over riots and violence made issues of race, poverty and government failures impossible to ignore. The breaches of the levees compounded those problems and represented an engineering failure of grave proportions.
Harvey: Harvey will likely sharpen an ongoing debate over whether Houston, a city driven by real estate, has overbuilt at the expense of flood control.
7. Conclusion
Due to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s bad decision, 46 deaths (and counting) and massive amount of damages could likely have been avoided, either fully or partially, had many of the residents, especially in the lowland areas, were evacuated as warned before the Category 4 Hurricane Harvey landed in Houston, Harris County, Port Arthur, Beaumont areas. Indeed, this incompetent & corrupt Houston Mayor already has blood on his hands merely 1 year into his governance and mayorship.
It’s not just partisan politics, Democrats in local, municipal, state, and federal governments have notoriously been known as corrupt and incompetent, as many of the Democrat mayors have persistently run previously prosperous U.S. cities to the ground. However, it is ultimately the residents of those cities, Houston included, would pay the prices for their costly votes. It is unfortunate for the non-Democrat voters of those cities who usually find themselves being victimized by the votes not of their own whenever a Democrat or a RINO (Republican In Name Only) wins the election. American Patriots should participate more in the political process and vote for the right candidate to avoid being victimized by the incompetent Democrat or RINO.
Tags: Austin, Bay City, Category 4, Corpus Christi, Democrat, Donald Trump, Ed Emmett, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Francisco Sanchez, Greg Abbott, Harris County, Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Houston, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Katrina, Louisiana, Mississippi, National Flood Insurance Program, New Orleans, Repubican, Rockport, Sylvester Turner, Texas, United States