I read this on VICE News. It would have never occurred to me but I live in Cali.

Even if everyone else is aware, I thought I would post it anyway.

Take care everyone, sending good thoughts for your safety:

Rainfall and flooding aren’t all Texans have to worry about this weekend as Hurricane Harvey makes landfall — there will also be gators.

As storm surges rise water levels up a predicted 12 feet, the state’s alligators — displaced from where they naturally lurk — will likely end up finding their way to neighborhood driveways, under parked cars, and on top of doorsteps.

Gators and flooding advice via @txgatorsquad: Expect them to be displaced. Simply looking for higher ground. Leave alone until water recedes pic.twitter.com/nN1B5jvMyV

— FBCSO Texas (@FBCSO) August 24, 2017

Please keep us posted on how you're doing. This one looks like a nasty one!

My bro text me... kinda worried. I sent him a pic of Texas... I'm like 500 miles north. Iol :p Thoughtful though!

Laying in bed with major headache, tornado fell on the other side of my subdivision earlier, lots of rain right now.

Oy... with ya there... headaches. :(

Glad it hear it missed ya!

I'm not worried about much really. It's going to REALLY flood in Houston and surrounding areas. I only am worried about 4 people at this moment and they ain't family.

How you can help
 

Text RedCross to 90999 to donate $10 to disaster relief.

And, from this website http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...b0821444c37515


1. Donate Money Or Volunteer

A plethora of organizations are appealing for donations to help them as they send volunteers and supplies to the hardest-hit areas.

These include the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, Save The Children, the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Heart to Heart International.

The local Texas Diaper Bank is also putting together disaster relief kits for families with young children. You can donate here.

Crowdfunding site GlobalGiving has launched a hurricane relief fund aimed at gathering funds for local nonprofits in the storm-stricken region.

Animal shelters and rescue groups are taking in numerous pets displaced by the storm ― whether the animals got lost in the chaos, got left behind, or simply need temporary housing while their owners stay in evacuation shelters. Those groups include the SPCA of Texas, Austin Pets Alive!, Dallas Animal Services and the San Antonio Humane Society.


2. Donate Blood

Blood centers expect a supply shortage because of the closure of some blood banks along the coast and the likely demand stemming from injuries sustained in the storm. Centers have put out calls for extra donors to help deal with the aftermath.

You can find donation centers or blood drives for the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center here or for Texas organization Carter BloodCare here.

And even if you’re not in Texas, you can search online for blood drives local to you or book an appointment via the Red Cross website.


3. Provide Accommodation For Evacuees

Airbnb has launched a portal so that the people who have been displaced by the hurricane can find a place to stay. It’s also waiving fees for people affected by the disaster. More details are available on the Airbnb website here.

Wish I could go back to sleep but I'm very restless. My ex texted me at 3 am, it's really bad where she is and it hurts that I can't get to her. All I can do is pray and wait till this is over, then help with clean up. I wish I had my own place and a huge truck to get her and the kids to dry land. My heart is broken.

I am still high and dry and fully powered but the library staff are mostly flooded and trapped :worried:

Hey folks-


Has anyone heard from Stilettodoll? Or does anyone have a way to get in touch with her and check in?

Thank you,
Angie

Mr. Jenny is texting her now

WHEW!!! Thank you for checking in!! Had a couple of folks message me about you and I was wondering myself!

Pinkielee and D-Boo are ok as well!

I'm still fine for now. My ex not so much. I've never felt so helpless. But this rain isn't over yet, I just pray that the help comes when it's really needed, FEMA and red cross are doing the best they can.

As *Anya* pointed out, displaced alligators are a problem. Easy to imagine they are hungry and irritable. Please don't anyone go wading through water. Wait until the water recesses and you can see the ground in front of you.

Plus unknown type cooties in the water could make you sick.

Be safe.

Oh! Not to forget displaced snakes too!

Exactly - On the news they are showing lots of people in the waters wading around aimlessly - very bad idea. Best to avoid if at all possible. Obviously if you have to flee for life, safety, you do what you have to do to survive but those flood waters are dangerous, full of all sorts of potential hazzards, not to mention disgusting amounts of just plain gross and nasty stuff, for example raw sewage. Also currents can easily suck people under, if they can submerge SUVs, well humans - easy, no problem at all.

Right now no one gives a crap about snakes, alligators, etc. I understand y'all are worried but come on, people have and are losing EVERYTHING while y'all want to talk about animals, etc.

We are going to get 15 to 25 more inches of rain, this will not end anytime soon maybe not even on Thursday. People are dying, hungry and thirsty, etc. Mostly boats are doing rescues since ALL major freeways are flooded. However there is not much dry land, and if this post seems pissy well it is, you should be pissed too that evacuation preparations were not handled properly by the mayor and judge Emmet and the the whole damn city flood district committee.

Sheese JD, chill, folks are just trying to give well wishes and things to think about as their minds are full of the devastation.

Trust me, that's all we are thinking about right now is devastation. Send well wishes all you want but it doesn't help many folks right now.

I know buddy, human life is what is important now. I was raised in Houston and this is heartbreaking. Stay safe my friend. I am here if you need anything.

livestream hurricane harvey
 

this is channel 11 houston but that station has been evacuated and this livestream is from wfaa dallas at the moment....they are trying to set up at the houston pbs station....but for now dallas is broadcasting...

Thanks Chad! I recall you saying you were raised here, so I know it's heartbreaking for you as well.

Hmmm. au contraire... Our Mayor and The Judge did everything with utmost respect and professionalism. Our Weather professionals gave fair warnings and synopsis of an escalated projective of what could happen. It's not human error, No one can gauge the masterful and fury of Mother Nature. Most people got to comfortable about hurricanes and floods. Most said ehhh no biggie! It's something that no one expected. It even surprised our best meteorologist. So I disagree. With Katrina, Ike and the ones before. Our top people learned and made important improvements to help us. But again. You can't predict weather. But. Technology has advanced. So has our weather. So no one is to blame. It's just a freak of nature. I rest my case.

I disagree with you both but that's how I will leave it.

Dallas opening a 'mega-shelter'
 

Dallas announced its plans to open a "mega-shelter" capable of accommodating 5,000 evacuees at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. County officials, charitable groups and local hospitals are working to open the shelter by Tuesday morning.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/27/us/har...ll1004AMVODtop

Since you wrote off the hurricane and the attached issues as "been there done that, put up with it since I was 3", your telling everyone off because they are concerned about all the issues associated with this tragedy is mean spirited and hypocritical.

We know you are scared, we know it's really shitty, but don't crap on the people showing you and others concern.

I've been in and out of Texas most my life, I've dealt with a lot. I've seen a lot. You think I'm scared? You are wrong, I'm pissed off. And out of the whole bfp I've had 3 people actually message me and a few rep comments about needing anything. What I need is to get people help not sit here and debate back and forth.

If people really want to help, donate to red cross and other charities.

Well you are part of the debate you are being critical about.....and dont assume you know what others are doing. My local red cross vehicle left my area for houston 3 days ago...and there are texting donations encouraged on all our media channels and all the union/labor folks are collecting too.

I was part of the post Katrina homes for humanity.... commited for 2 weeks at my expense....so many folks are and can be part of the solution.

Judge Emmet is always on top- one republican I will always cross the line for

I truly don't get why you act the way that you do. You are so frequently irritable and angry with others even when the weather is good, so your response today is not unusual.

People, for the most part, are kind and caring and are genuinely interested in the welfare and safety of others.

It is sincere.

You have no way of knowing who has already donated to the Red Cross. When one gives from the heart, they generally don't announce it to others looking for praise.

I will continue to send my sincere and positive thoughts and prayers to those that are affected by this tragedy. I will continue to hope that everyone is able to stay safe from harm. I also hope that people are alert for gators and snakes and that their own beloved animals are also safe.

No need to worry about me anymore, I'm out. I'm going to see if I can get a boat and go help while y'all sit here and bash stuff.

I'm seeing truly shocking footage of the devastation people are facing, my hearts go out to all affected, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

USA Today posted ways to help:

Donate money

The best way to help Texans affected by disasters is to donate money to charitable agencies that are experienced in disaster relief, officials say.

Organizations such as the American Red Cross and Salvation Army are trained to respond to disasters such as Harvey, which is pounding the Texas Gulf Coast.

"Right now the best thing people can do is donate money," said Katrina Farmer, director of American Red Cross offices in San Angelo, Abilene and Wichita Falls, Texas cities far from the coastline. "This is going to be an expensive disaster."

While people often want to donate items, Farmer said that isn’t as helpful as money.

"People should not go out and buy things, because they might not be needed," she explained.

Organizations participating in hurricane relief efforts include:

• American Red Cross. To donate visit redcross.org, call 1- 800-RED CROSS or text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

• The Salvation Army: To donate visit www.helpsalvationarmy.org or call 1-800-725-2769.

• Catholic Charities USA: Visit catholiccharitiesusa.org to donate.

• GlobalGiving: visit https://www.globalgiving.org/harvey. Donors can also text HARVEY to 80100 to donate $10 to GlobalGiving's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Message and data rates may apply. Terms: hmgf.org/t. Send a check by writing,"Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund" in the memo line and mailing it to GlobalGiving, 1110 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 550, Washington DC, 20005.

• Save the Children: www.savethechildren.org. Save the Children’s emergency response team is on the ground in San Antonio, Texas, working to meet children and families’ immediate needs

• Apple: The multimedia giant has set up a donation link directly on iTunes and App Store.Visit www.apple.com for more information. Donations will go directly to the American Red Cross.

• Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner established this fund administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation to accept tax-deductible flood-relief donations.

Checks and money orders can be mailed to the Greater Houston Community Foundation, while online credit card donations can be made at www.ghcf.org. Online credit card donations will be assessed a small fee by the credit card companies. Donors have the option of increasing their credit card donations to cover this fee. Wire-transferred cash will also be accepted.

Volunteer

The Red Cross and Salvation Army will be involved with disaster relief efforts, providing shelter, fresh drinking water, food, toiletries, clothes, bedding and other necessities.

They also are involved with rebuilding efforts once the storm has passed and will send trained volunteers to help with the recovery.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army also need volunteers to help at the shelters set up to house people who fled the coast.

• Red Cross: redcross.org/volunteer/.

• Salvation Army: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/volunteer/

By Friday afternoon, "tens of thousands" of residents on the coast were moving north, filling up shelters in San Antonio, Dallas and Fredericksburg, Farmer said.

Donate blood

Blood centers anticipate a shortage and are putting out urgent pleas for donations. The closure of blood banks and collection centers along the coast paired with likely injuries from the storm will stress existing supplies.

People wishing to donate blood should contact their local community's Red Cross or check for blood banks in their area.

Help a children’s hospital

Driscoll Children’s Hospital, which cares for Corpus Christi’s youngest and most ill patients, was directly in the path of Harvey. The hospital transported many of its patients out of harm’s way, but will likely will need funds to seamlessly continue operating its 189-bed pediatric facility.

Donations can be made online at www.driscollchildrens.org.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...vey/603879001/

Before and after photos of Houston. Safe passage to all, INCLUDING our animal friends.


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