Americans held their collective breath as Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas in August 2017, the first hurricane of its magnitude to hit the United States in 12 years. Besides Hurricane Katrina, Harvey is the most destructive and costly storm recorded in recent history. In only four days many areas in Texas received as much as 50 inches of rain, making Harvey the wettest tropical hurricane in the contiguous United States.

The impact of Harvey is devastating: 71 known deaths, an estimate of $180 billion in economic losses, and damage to over 200,000 homes. Over 13 million people were affected by the storm, from Houston to Louisiana and Mississippi. The Category 4 hurricane created an unprecedented flooding disaster. An area the size of Maryland in southeast Texas saw more than 30 inches of rainfall. The effects of Hurricane Harvey are unmatched in recorded history.