The Red Cross is preparing to open a shelter at Sacred Heart Catholic Church Family Life Center in Richmond Saturday to help families in need after Hurricane Harvey made landfall Friday night as a Category 4 storm, according to a Facebook post from the city of Richmond.

On Saturday, Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert issued a voluntary evacuation order for residents near the Brazos River as well as a mandatory evacuation order for those near the San Bernard River.

“Harvey has placed us in a familiar position,” Hebert said in an announcement from the Fort Bend office of emergency management. “Last year’s floods showed how quickly the Brazos River can impact lives and property in our county and this powerful storm is threatening many of our residents in the same areas. Therefore, I am issuing a voluntary evacuation for the potentially affected areas along the Brazos and a mandatory evacuation for areas along the San Bernard river.”

Requests for donations at the Richmond shelter include pet crates and kennels. Once the shelter is open residents will be allowed to shelter their pets there but they must be kenneled. The shelter will be located at 507 South Fourth St., Richmond.

Many homes in Richmond were ravaged last night after possible tornadoes passed through the areas, particularly in the Lost Creek subdivision in the western part of town. In the nearby Sienna Plantation neighborhood, as many as 50 homes experienced significant roof damage.

The Brazos River is now experiencing a record flood level, according to the National Weather Service. Residents can follow Harvey and see how flooding may affect their homes by using the Fort Bend County Drainage District website’s interactive map. 

As of Friday night, the city of Richmond’s emergency office center is open 24/7 and is closely monitoring the storms. Residents needing to reach the EOC can call 281-232-6871. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.