SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - San Diego Sector Coast Guard crew members headed out to Texas Friday to assist with the response to Hurricane Harvey.
An MH-60 helicopter took off from Coast Guard Air Station San Diego just before 3 p.m. with five crew members. They are expected to arrive in El Paso, Texas, and remain there until response efforts begin for the Category 4 hurricane.
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"A unique capability of the Coast Guard and our people is our adaptability when it comes to answering the call to action," Cmdr. Rob Potter, the Sector San Diego chief of response, said in a release. "San Diego is our home, but our crews are ready to deploy across the country to help those in need."
No impacts are expected to local Coast Guard operations, officials said.
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Hurricane Harvey is expected to make landfall in Texas Friday night, bringing with it 130-160 mph winds. Extreme weather warnings have been issued for the cities along the Gulf Coast, including Corpus Christi and Galveston.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has requested federal aid, saying in a "disaster declaration" letter to President Donald Trump, "The storm surge, coupled with the deluge of rain, could easily lead to billions of dollars of property damage and almost certainly loss of life."
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