Methodical block-by-block searches were underway in what had been some of the hardest-hit areas, said Houston’s assistant fire chief, Richard Mann. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality concurred, describing the smoke and fumes as “acrid and irritating,” but apparently not toxic. After a high-profile visit to Texas on Tuesday by President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence flew to the state accompanied by several Cabinet secretaries. The storm sent more than 30,000 people into shelters after making landfall Friday as the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in five decades. After last year’s flood, some neighborhood residents elevated their houses by several feet, but that can be costly.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 31, 2017 10:42 UTC