“Weather situations can change, and it has continued to change,” George said. “We don’t know 100% how it will hit the shore. I encourage everyone to stay careful and stay prepared. Get the information from the right sources.”
George encouraged the public to follow Fort Bend County Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s social media pages and website as well as to sign up for emergency alerts.
COVID-19 is still a concern in the midst of hurricane preparation, George said.
“We need to continue to be cautious about our behavior when we are out,” he said. “Wear a mask and social distance and avoid large gatherings. This is not the time to let our guard down.”
County Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Flathouse said Hurricane Laura may become a Category 4 storm.
“If it comes all the way to the left and hits Houston-Harris County-Fort Bend County area and Brazoria [County], we’re going to be ready,” Flathouse said. “We are preparing outside of the curb.”
Flathouse said that unlike Hurricane Harvey, which was a rain storm that dumped a lot of water, Hurricane Laura will be a wind storm, with high winds at over 120 mph.
In the case of flooding, Mark Vogler, the Fort Bend County Drainage District director, said the conditions could not get any better.
“The ground is relatively dry,” Vogler said. “All our channels are empty. The Brazos river is low. Barker Reservoir is empty and has full storage capacity available.”
George urged locals to stay off the road if they are not in an emergency and reminded the public that he has waived tolls to help evacuees avoid any flooded roads until Friday.
“My heart goes out to the people who are in the path of the storm,” George said. “We will work with those local jurisdictions to see what we can do to help and support them in this situation.”
