Mayor Hocking will issue a local disaster declaration and the City of La Marque has issued a voluntary evacuation for citizens with functional needs, medial needs and homes that are prone to flooding.
UPDATE 6:21 p.m. August 24, 2017: According to National Weather Service Houston-Galveston, Hurricane Harvey is intensifying and is forecasted to hit the mid Texas coast as a Category 3 Friday night. The storm is expected to stall once it makes landfall.
The storm surge forecast has not changed since this morning but we are expecting 15 to 25 inches of rain. Coastal, river, bayou and flash flooding are expected. Tropical-Storm-Force winds are expected to begin Friday night.
Mayor Hocking has issued a local disaster declaration and the City of La Marque has issued a voluntary evacuation for citizens with functional needs, medical needs and homes that are prone to flooding. Citizens needing dialysis should call ESRD Network at 469-916-3800.
The hurricane protection levee gates have been closed on Getty Road and Lake Road. Highland Bayou Park and Mahan Park will be closed until water levels return to normal.
Texas City ISD is closed tomorrow. A determination on school for Monday will be made Sunday afternoon. As a precaution, the American Red Cross has established Abundant Life Christian Center as a shelter. The shelter is on standby.
For immediate updates, follow National Weather Service Houston-Galveston, visit www.hurricane.gov or nowcoast.noaa.gov. The La Marque Office of Emergency Management is monitoring the storm and will continue to provide updates as they become available.
UPDATE 11:49 a.m., Thursday, August 24: The disturbance in the Gulf was upgraded to Tropical Storm Harvey overnight and is expected to become a hurricane before landfall. If the storm stays on course, it will hit the Matagorda Bay/Corpus Christi area on Friday. For La Marque residents, that means 30 mile-per-hour winds and storm surge up to four feet is expected Friday night with heavy rain expected Saturday. Tornadoes are possible. If the storm stalls, it could dump up to 20 inches of rain on our region between Saturday and next Tuesday. La Marque Office of Emergency Management encourages residents to be prepared and continue to monitor the storm. We are not, however, in the direct path of Tropical Storm Harvey. No changes to the trash collection schedule are expected. Another update will be available around 5:30 p.m. today, Thursday August 24, 2017.
UPDATE 5:35 p.m., Wednesday, August 23: According to National Weather Service Houston-Galveston, very little has changed with Tropical Depression Harvey. The storm has not strengthened and has not been upgraded to a tropical storm. No major changes to the track, forecast or predications were noted.
New information was that tropical force winds are expected in our region around 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 25. The tide will start rising Thursday and continue through the weekend. River and bayou flooding is a threat.
Another update will be posted around lunchtime tomorrow. Please monitor local media outlets and National Weather Service Houston-Galveston for updates between now and then.
LA MARQUE, TEXAS (August 23, 2017) – The National Weather Service Houston-Galveston Texas has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Galveston County at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 23, 2017. La Marque Office of Emergency Management urges residents to prepare for the arrival of severe weather including a storm surge of two to four feet, coastal flooding, 10 to 15 inches of rain with 20 inches possible in some places, 30-40 mile-per-hour winds and possible tornadoes.
Tropical Depression Harvey is expected to be upgraded to a Tropical Storm this afternoon. Strong winds and severe weather are predicted to arrive midday Friday. This slow-moving system is also expected to bring heavy rain to Galveston County Saturday and Sunday. Landfall is currently projected to hit Matagorda Bay or Corpus Christi. If the storm shifts north, winds, storm surge and coastal flooding chances will increase for our region.
Make a plan with special consideration for pets and seniors. Secure loose items around your home, make sure you have water and food, fill vehicle gas tanks and fill any necessary perscriptions. Citizens who live in low-lying areas, are south of the hurricane protection levee, have previously been impacted by Highland Bayou, or whose homes are prone to flooding should take extra precautions. Visit ready.gov for tools and resources: https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.
The National Weather Service, Galveston County and La Marque Office of Emergency Management are tracking the storm. City of La Marque will provide updates as they become available. Register for ConnectCTY and E-notifications to stay in the know: http://cityoflamarque.org/145/Stay-in-the-Know.
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About the City of La Marque: The City of La Marque is strategically situated in Galveston County approximately 15 miles from the southern city limit of Houston and four miles north of Galveston Island. La Marque is the second-fastest-growing city in the county with an estimated population of 16,000 and an area of 14.25 square miles. Citizens enjoy coastal living, abundant housing options and the security of a hurricane protection levee system. The city provides a wide range of programs including Bayou Fest, an annual concert series and BBQ Cook Off; Magical Winter Lights, a 52-day holiday lantern festival and Crawfish Bash, an annual crawfish cook off that earned Guinness Book of World Records ranking in 2017. City of La Marque boasts easy access to world-class medical, travel and entertainment options. For business, La Marque offers developmental incentives, an abundance of commercial property and build-to-suit opportunities. La Marque is the Gateway to the Gulf. Discover the possibilities at www.cityoflamarque.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Colleen Merritt, MA, Public Relations Specialist
La Marque Economic Development Corporation
1130 1st Street,
La Marque, TX 77568
(409) 938-9255 Office
(409) 795-0165 Cell
cmerritt@cityoflamarque.org