Hurricane Harvey

• In August 2017
• Houston, Texas most affected
• Category 4
• Max wind speed of 132mph
• Total rainfall of 1000m
• Economic Impacts

  Loss of approximately $70-$200 billion

  Billions of property damage

  Cities courthouse, severely damage

  Flash floods in Houston

  Group collapse, due to aquifer empty

  Power Station shut
• Social Impacts:

  300,000 left without electricity

  Artificial fuel shortage due to closure of oil refineries

  Gas stations forced to shut

  180,000 homes damaged, 9000 destroyed

  800 flights cancelled

  77 deaths
• Physical Factors:

  Clay based soil texture meant poor drainage, decreased infiltration and increase overland flow

  Sedimentation of river channels, reduces capacity

  Relief- low lying, v.gentle slope angles, reduces river velocity

  And flood water drains slows.
• Human Factors:

  Oil and groundwater extraction- makes ground sink to fill gaps, lower slope angles means floodwater takes longer to drain away.

  Urban sprawl- increases impermeable surface, reduces infiltration rate and increases overland flow.

  Climate Change- increase sea temps which increases extreme weather events