Deux journées supplémentaires de fortes pluies sont prévues sur une partie du Texas et de la Louisiane, avec le retour de la tempête tropicale Harvey sur les côtes après être retournée quelques heures au-dessus du Golfe du Mexique.
«La plus grande menace continue d'être la pluie», a indiqué à l'AFP Dennis Feltgen, porte-parole du Centre national des ouragans (NHC), basé à Miami, décrivant la situation comme «catastrophique».
«Ce n'est pas fini», a-t-il ajouté.
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![Local residents are evacuated on an air boat operated by volunteers from San Antonio, in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON]()
AFPLocal residents are evacuated on an air boat operated by volunteers from San Antonio, in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON -
![Local residents are evacuated by a military vehicle in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON]()
AFPLocal residents are evacuated by a military vehicle in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON -
![Local residents are evacuated by a military vehicle in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON]()
AFPLocal residents are evacuated by a military vehicle in the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON -
![Andrew Brennan from Louisiana helps evacuate an elderly woman and her granddaughter from the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON]()
AFPAndrew Brennan from Louisiana helps evacuate an elderly woman and her granddaughter from the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON -
![An elderly woman and her granddaughter are evacuated from the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON]()
AFPAn elderly woman and her granddaughter are evacuated from the Clodine district after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Houston, Texas on August 29, 2017. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON -
![Volunteer rescuers evacuate people from a flooded residential area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski]()
AFPVolunteer rescuers evacuate people from a flooded residential area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski -
![Volunteer rescuers prepare their boat before heading into a flooded residential area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski]()
AFPVolunteer rescuers prepare their boat before heading into a flooded residential area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski -
![HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Residents are evacuated from their homes after severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPHOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Residents are evacuated from their homes after severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: A volunteer carries a woman whose home was impacted by severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPHOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: A volunteer carries a woman whose home was impacted by severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![People walk along a flooded road's median during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski]()
AFPPeople walk along a flooded road's median during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski -
![WESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard Families rescued from the flooded Pine Forest Village neighborhood wait to be transported to a shelter by the Texas Army National Guard August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas after being rescued from high water caused by Hurricane Harvey. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPWESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard Families rescued from the flooded Pine Forest Village neighborhood wait to be transported to a shelter by the Texas Army National Guard August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas after being rescued from high water caused by Hurricane Harvey. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![WESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard stage their rescue teams in a Home Depot parking lot east of Houston, Texas August 29, 2017 to help people trapped in high water from Hurricane Harvey. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPWESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard stage their rescue teams in a Home Depot parking lot east of Houston, Texas August 29, 2017 to help people trapped in high water from Hurricane Harvey. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![WESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard members help down families that were rescued from their flooded Pine Forest Village neighborhood due to high water from Hurricane Harvey August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPWESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard members help down families that were rescued from their flooded Pine Forest Village neighborhood due to high water from Hurricane Harvey August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![WESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard members Sergio Esquivel, left, and Ernest Barmore carry 81-year-old Ramona Bennett after she and other residents were rescued from their Pine Forest Village neighborhood due to high water from Hurricane Harvey August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPWESTLAKE, TX - AUGUST 29: Texas Army National Guard members Sergio Esquivel, left, and Ernest Barmore carry 81-year-old Ramona Bennett after she and other residents were rescued from their Pine Forest Village neighborhood due to high water from Hurricane Harvey August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi late Friday evening, is expected to dump upwards to 40 inches of rain in areas of Texas over the next couple of days. Erich Schlegel/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![TOPSHOT - A woman walks through a rain storm during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 28, 2017 in Houston, Texas. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski]()
AFPTOPSHOT - A woman walks through a rain storm during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 28, 2017 in Houston, Texas. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski -
![HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Residents are evacuated from their homes after severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPHOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Residents are evacuated from their homes after severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Residents are evacuated from their homes after severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==]( "Epic Flooding Inundates Houston After Hurricane Harvey")
AFPHOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Residents are evacuated from their homes after severe flooding following Hurricane Harvey in north Houston August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Parts of southeast Texas have received more than 40 inches of rain since Harvey made landfall on Friday, with more torrential rain expected the next several days. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY == -
![Volunteer rescuers evacuate people from a flooded residential area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski]()
AFPVolunteer rescuers evacuate people from a flooded residential area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Floodwaters have breached a levee south of the city of Houston, officials said Tuesday, urging residents to leave the area immediately. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski
Environ 127 centimètres de pluie sont tombés sur Houston en quatre jours depuis l'arrivée de Harvey --ouragan de catégorie 4 sur une échelle de 5 désormais tempête tropicale--, provoquant des inondations sans précédent dans cette métropole de 2,3 millions de personnes.
Harvey s'éloigne de Houston en se déplaçant vers le Golfe du Mexique, mais devrait de nouveau frapper la côte texane et la Louisiane mardi en fin de journée ou mercredi au plus tard.
Les habitants de La Nouvelle-Orléans se préparaient à subir de fortes pluies et des inondations au cours des prochaines 48h. Plus de 5 cm de pluie sont déjà tombés mardi matin sur la ville faisant craindre des «inondations imminentes», selon ses services météorologiques.
La Nouvelle-Orléans est particulièrement vulnérable, car elle se trouve au-dessous du niveau de la mer. Elle a déjà été frappée par une inondation importante début août, exacerbée par des problèmes avec le système municipal de pompage.
Le météorologue Eric Holthaus juge très difficile d'estimer précisément le niveau des précipitations pour les prochains jours.
«Certaines prévisions parlent de 25 centimètres de pluie au cours des 36 prochaines heures pour La Nouvelle-Orléans. Je ne serais pas surpris si c'est plus que ça», a-t-il indiqué à l'AFP.
Houston peut s'attendre à recevoir entre cinq et dix centimètres de pluie supplémentaires à mesure que la tempête s'éloigne, mais les précipitations vont perdurer probablement jusqu'à la fin de la semaine, a ajouté M. Holthaus.
Harvey devrait se dissiper après son retour sur les terres et les pluies se terminer d'ici jeudi.
