Surviving the Storm

Houston, Texas, is the fourth-largest city in the United States. This summer, it was hit by a hurricane.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25. It began as a Category 4 storm. Wind speeds reached 130 miles per hour. Then Harvey lost steam. It became a tropical storm. But it stayed over Houston.

In August, rising waters forced many Texas residents to leave their home.

Nearly 52 inches of rain fell in the city. That set a record. The rain led to major flooding. Roads and bridges were washed out. Highways turned into rivers.

“What occurred in Houston was almost unimaginable,” Patrick Burke told TIME for Kids. He is a weather forecaster. He works for the National Weather Service.

Cleanup can’t begin until the water goes away. Meanwhile, many people are without a home. About 30,000 people waited in shelters after Harvey hit.

Brock Long works for the U.S. government. He is in charge of helping people find temporary × temporary ANDY CROSS—THE DENVER POST/GETTY IMAGES not permanent (adjective) A temporary classroom was set up while a new school was under construction. housing. He has also made a promise to the people of Texas. “This recovery is going to be frustrating,” he says. “We’re going to be here to help guide you through it.”

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