Hurricane Harvey: 'A major disaster'

Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned people ahead of landfall that Hurricane Harvey "is going to be a very major disaster." Emergency services installed surge walls on critical roads near the Gulf Coast as the hurricane gained strength before reaching land.

In a rush to prepare for the major hurricane, shoppers have emptied shelves at grocery stores. In the wake of a devastating hurricane, there can be a general lack of access to basic supplies, including food, medicine and water.

While emergency services prepared for Hurricane Harvey, others took the opportunity to surf. Ahead of major hurricanes, surfers have often taken to the rough waves before a major hurricane for a thrill ride.

Preparing for a hurricane means different things for different people. For volunteers at the Calhoun Country Humane Society, it means rushing to find homes for the remaining animals at the shelter.

Hurricane Harvey was a threatening sight as it came in from the Gulf of Mexico. The extent of Harvey is well-captured in this shot from the GOES-16 satellite.

These traffic lights in Corpus Christi shine on despite having been bowled over by the winds ahead of Hurricane Harvey. Authorities expect widespread devastation.

Seaside houses in Corpus Christi have come in for a bruising, after Harvey barreled into the Texas coast with winds of 209 kilometers per hour (130 miles per hour). But the hurricane was later downgraded from Category 4 - the second-highest - to Category 2. That still means wind speeds of up to 177 kilometers per hour, though.