U.S. Army Sgt. Chace Smith and Sgt. Jesse Furguson, TX Army National Guard, meets Harvey, a rescued dog, in Orange, Texas, 9/4. Harvey was found on the side of the road during a relief and rescue mission. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Austin T. Boucher) U.S. Soldiers with the 1-124 Cavalary Squadron, Texas Army National Guard, help a woman and her dog to safety in Orange, Texas, Sept. 4, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carl Greenwell) U.S. Army Spc. Brett Martin, Jonathon Foxworth and Bryce Burnett of the 1-124 Cavalary Squadron, Texas Army National Guard, lift the pet of a flood victim in Orange, Texas, Sept. 4, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carl Greenwell) Coast Guard Ensign James Garner blows bubbles to Zaiden Thomas, a dialysis patient, while Lt. Brad Bryan looks on at Texas Children’s Hospital. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson/Released) Local Texans walk through a flooded Orange, Texas neighborhood, Sept. 3, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Joshua L. DeMotts) Coast Guard Ensign James Gardner, a port state control officer, fist bumps Brannon Morgan, a dialysis patient at Texas Children’s Hospital. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson/Released) U.S. Army Sgt. Jonathan Bacon with the 551st Multi-Role Bridge Company out of El Campo, Texas, guides a boat in for take-out after patrolling a flooded Orange, Texas neighborhood. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Joshua L. DeMotts) 551st Multi Role Bridge Company, Texas Army National Guard, conducted rescue reconnaisance in Port Arthur, Texas on September 4th, 2017. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Melisa Washington/RELEASED A unit with the 551st Multi-Role Bridge Company out of El Campo, Texas searches for flooded neighborhoods in Orange, Texas to patrol with their boats, Sept. 3, 2017. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Joshua L. DeMotts) U.S. Army Spc. Jonathon Foxworth and Spc. Brett Martin of the 1-124, Cavalary Squadron, Texas Army National Guard, unload a flood victim's pet in Orange, Texas, Sept. 4, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carl Greenwell) An aerial view of areas affected by Hurricane Harvey in Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 1, 2017. Hurricane Harvey is the first major Hurricane to make landfall over the United States in over a decade. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Elizabeth Brown) U.S. Army Soldiers and U.S. Navy Sailors load water onto a U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk in Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 3, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry E. Reid Jr., Released) An aerial view of the flooding left by Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, Sept. 3, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry E. Reid Jr., Released) Marines from 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, hands supplies to a family in Orange, Texas, Sept. 3, 2017. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Niles Lee/Released) A house in a flooded Beaumont, Texas neighborhood, Sept. 3, 2017, after Hurricane Harvey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Nicholas Dutton) Sgt. John Vasquez, a Soldier assigned to 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, Texas Army National Guard, is greeting by a three year-old girl in Liberty, Texas, Sep. 2, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Dustin D. Biven) Soldiers part of the 1-143 Infantry Regiment, Airborne Battalion, drive a woman to safety in Orange, Texas, Sept. 3, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Austin T. Boucher) Sgt. Samiera Lanier, a Soldier assigned to 48th Chemical Brigade, 2nd Chemical Battalion, is greeted by a young child after arriving at Liberty Fire Department in Liberty, Texas on Sep. 2, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Dustin D. Biven) Sgt. Justin Spangler, a canon crewmember, wades through water to deliver medication to a citizen of Vidor, Texas, Sept. 3, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Matt Britton / 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) Children of the community jump up to receive a high-five from the pilot of CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Sep. 2, 2017 after the pilot and his crew unloaded life support supplies in Liberty, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Dustin D. Biven) Members of the Liberty, Texas community pose for a photo with Soldiers from the 48th Chemical Brigade, 2nd Chemical Battalion at the Liberty Fire Department on Sep. 2, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Dustin D. Biven) Flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Southeast Texas on August 31, 2017 (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Martinez/Released) A woman clutches her dog after boarding a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter in a flooded Vidor, Texas, neighborhood, Aug. 31, 2017. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/Released) Texas Army National Guardsmen rescue flood survivors stranded by Hurricane Harvey flooding north of Beaumont, Texas, August 31, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). Brian Archibald, a rescue specialist, points to a someone who may need help August 31, 2017 in Port Arthur, Texas. (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Martinez/Released) (Courtesy photo/Released) Members of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force One (NE-TF1) perform one of many water rescues in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Photo by FEMA News Photo. Members of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force One (NE-TF1) remove an survior on a strecher in a neighborhood impacted by flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Photo by FEMA News Photo. Members of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force One (NE-TF1) rescue a pet from floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey. Photo by FEMA News Photo. Members of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force One (NE-TF1) rescue an infant survivor with his family from a neighborhood impacted by flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Photo by FEMA News Photo. Member of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force One (NE-TF1) wades through waist high water removing surviors from a neighborhood impacted by flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Photo by FEMA News Photo. A child pets her cat after boarding a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter in a flooded Vidor, Texas, neighborhood, Aug. 31, 2017. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/Released) Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Evan Gallant, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Miami, carries a boy away from an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter in Beaumont, Texas, Aug. 31. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/Released) Members of New Jersey Task Force 1, conduct high water rescue operations of stranded pets in Wharton, Texas, Aug. 31, 2017. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shelley) Results Hurricane Harvey’s aftermath in Wharton, Texas, Aug. 31, 2017, due to devastating effects caused by Harvey made landfall into the Texas coast last week as a category 4 hurricane. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shelley) Members of New Jersey Task Force 1, conduct high water rescue operations in Wharton, Texas, Aug. 31, 2017, due to devastating effects caused by Hurricane Harvey’s aftermath. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shelley) Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Class Richard Call and members of New Jersey Task Force 1, assist evacuees into a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV) during water rescue operations. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shelley) Members of New Jersey Task Force 1, conduct high water rescue operations in Wharton, Texas, Aug. 31, 2017. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shelley) Extensive property damage can be seen in the wake of Hurricane Harvey which made landfall along the Texas coast, August 26, 2017. U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo by Glenn Fawcett (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). (U.S. Navy Video by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Lindahl) (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wolf) (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wolf) (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wolf) (U.S. Navy Video by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Lindahl) (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Giles) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Giles) (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shelley) (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Santino D. Martinez) (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Daniel H. Farrell) (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Daniel H. Farrell) (Courtesy photo/Released) (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Giles) (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/Released) (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/Released) A CBP Air and Marine Operations helicopter rescues people from danger during Hurricane Harvey rescue operations on August 29, 2017. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Dickinson/Released) (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Dickinson/Released) CBP Air and Marine Operations aircrews conduct a supply delivery from the FEMA headquarters in Sequin, TX to Katy, TX on August 29, 2017. U.S. Coast Guard Courtesy photo. U.S. Soldiers assigned to the Texas Army National Guard arrive in Houston to aid citizens in areas heavily flooded by the storms of Hurricane Harvey Aug. 27, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Zachary West) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) Spc. Elizabeth Webb, Texas Army National Guard, eats a chicken wing given to her by a Cypress Creek resident who cooked for Soldiers and volunteers helping to evacuate Cypress Creek. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) Texas Army National Guard aviation crews with the 36 Combat Aviation Brigade, conduct search and rescue operations over Houston, Texas, August 29, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). Texas Army National Guard aviation crews with the 36 Combat Aviation Brigade, conduct search and rescue operations over Houston, Texas, August 29, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). Members of Texas Task Force 2 assist in loading a local residents’ pets during water rescue operations in Sugar Land, Texas, Aug. 29, 2017. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Shelley) Texas Army National Guard aviation crews with the 36 Combat Aviation Brigade, conduct search and rescue operations over Houston, Texas, August 29, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Malcolm McClendon). Texas Guardsmen from the 386th Engineer Battalion and a local volunteer help residents down from a military vehicle in Cypress Creek, Texas, August 29, 2017. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Martha Nigrelle) HOUSTON (AP/KRIV) - Houston's fire department prepared Thursday to begin a block-by-block search of thousands of flooded homes in a city wrecked by Harvey, as the official death toll from the storm climbed to at least 31.
The city's assistant fire chief, Richard Mann, said his department would ensure "no people were left behind." Farther east, Beaumont and Port Arthur struggled with rising water after being pounded with what remained of the weakening storm.
Meanwhile, fires and two explosions rocked a chemical plant northeast of Houston early Thursday. Fire authorities said the blasts at the Arkema Inc. plant were small and that while some deputies suffered irritated eyes from the smoke, the materials that caught fire shortly after midnight are not toxic.
The plant lost power after the storm, leaving it without refrigeration for chemicals that become volatile as temperatures rise. Arkema had shut down the plant before Harvey made landfall.
The photos above — taken by various branches of the Defense Department, along with the Department of Homeland Security — capture some of the damage wrought by Harvey thus far, as well as on-the-ground rescues being carried out by authorities.