According to the NHC, Harvey’s rains caused catastrophic flooding, making it the second-most
costly hurricane in U.S. history, after accounting for inflation, behind only Katrina in 2005.
“The latest NOAA damage estimate from Harvey is $125 billion, with the 90% confidence
interval ranging from $90 to $160 billion. The mid-point of the estimate would tie Katrina
(2005) as the costliest United States tropical cyclone, which was also $125 billion.”
“At least 68 people died from the direct effects of the storm in Texas, the largest number of
direct deaths from a tropical cyclone in that state since 1919,” the report stated.
In August 2017, Harvey rapidly intensified into a category 4 hurricane before making landfall
along the middle Texas coast. The storm stalled, with its center over or near the Texas coast
for four days, “dropping historic amounts of rainfall of more than 60 inches over
southeastern Texas.”
“Harvey was the most significant tropical cyclone rainfall event in United States history,
both in scope and peak rainfall amounts, since reliable rainfall records began around the
1880s. The highest storm total rainfall report from Harvey was 60.58 inches near Nederland,
Texas, with another report of 60.54 inches from near Groves, Texas.”
At least 160,000 structures were flooded in Harris and Galveston counties,
according to the NHC report.
Outside of the Houston area, serious flood damage was reported farther east in
Jefferson, Orange, Hardin and Tyler counties, with about 110,000 structures flooded.