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T
he Texas Medical Center began bracing for Hurricane Harvey long before it
slammed into the Texas Gulf Coast on Aug. 25, tearing through the Rockport area
as a Category 4 hurricane. After 2001, when Tropical Storm Allison forced evacuations
and caused massive damage to the medical center, the TMC invested more than
$50 million in infrastructure to fortify itself against storms and floods. Ultimately,
Harvey dropped more than 50 inches of rain on the Houston area, but the TMC
closed its floodgates and continued to care for patients. Employees walked, waded,
paddled and hitched rides to work and to shelters around Houston. In the follow-
ing pages, TMC workers share their stories, and TMC experts weigh in on what
to expect in a city forever changed by an epic five-day flood.
WHEN
HARVEY
HIT
