Why Wasn’t Houston Evacuated Before Hurricane Harvey?

‘Why wasn’t Houston evacuated? Why wasn’t there a mandatory evacuation order for the city before the flooding started from Hurricane Harvey? Who made that call?
Those are questions people are asking as horrific images circulated of the dire flooding in the city. People begged for help from rooftops, a man was rescued from a partially submerged semi truck, and families pleaded for rescue on social media. Relatives tell KHOU-TV that six family members – four of them age 16 or under – have now died in the flood while trying to cross a Houston bridge. A man’s living room was so flooded he caught a large fish in it, and in nearby Dickinson, seniors were photographed sitting up to their waists in water in a nursing home. You can read more of those accounts here.
The frantic calls for help continued August 28 even as civilians took to boats to assist official rescuers; for example, Houston resident Leidys Shull told CNN “that her home is underwater, and 11 people, including children, are trapped inside,” saying, “It’s just hard to get help here. Nobody is here to help.”’
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