Hurricane Harvey has made landfall in Texas with winds of up to 215km/h battering coastal areas.
The storm, which has even stronger gusts, is expected to be the worst to hit Texas for 12 years.
US President Donald Trump has signed a disaster proclamation for the state, which will free up federal aid for the worst‑affected areas.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has warned of record flooding in multiple regions.
The category four storm has already brought down trees in Corpus Christi and thousands of residents have boarded up their homes and fled.
The city manager said that people were trapped in a housing centre for elderly people, where the roof had collapsed and rescue teams were unable to gain access.
Source: BBC
