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The governor of Texas said, the disaster for Hurricane Harvey had caused up to $180 billion in damage.
Harvey, the most powerful hurricane in last 50 years had hit Texas on August 25, and killed 50 people, displaced more than 1 million and damaged 200,000 homes in a path of destruction stretching for more than 300 miles (480 km).
According to Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, Hurricane Harvey is more costly than Hurricanes Katrina or Sandy, which devastated New Orleans in 2005 and New York in 2012.
Katrina set the record by costing U.S. taxpayers more than $110 billion. In advocating for funds to help rebuild his state, Abbott said damage from Harvey would exceed that.
Nine days after the storm hit Texas, in Washington DC the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin challenged Congress to raise the government’s debt limit in order to free up relief. “Without raising the debt limit, I am not comfortable that we will get money to Texas this month to rebuild,” Mnuchin told Fox News.
The administration of President Donald Trump has asked Congress for an initial $7.85 billion for recovery efforts, a fraction of what will eventually be needed.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city expected most public services and businesses to be restored by Tuesday, the first day after Monday’s Labor Day holiday.
Even so, Houston mandated the evacuation of thousands of people on the western side of town on Sunday to accommodate the release of water from two reservoirs that otherwise might sustain damage. The storm stalled over Houston, dumping more than 50 inches (1.3 m) on the region.
