Mayor Turner, other officials squash social media rumors about Harvey

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- As rumors swirl on social media alleging Hurricane Harvey will bring complete and utter devastation to the city, local officials are urging residents to only seek information from reputable sources.

"The news is not telling the whole truth. The storm is expected to be three times worse than what the news is saying because they don't want a panic on the freeways like Hurricane Rita," one such Facebook post being shared widely read.

"Everything south of Katy is predicted to be devastated. They're predicting 50 inches of rain, not 24 like the news is saying, and 100,000 homes destroyed. They're expecting all of Houston to be without power for three days," the post continues.

Several local officials -- including Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Francisco Sanchez with Harris County OHSEM and Major Chad Norvell with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office -- have denounced the posts.

"All residents of Houston and surrounding areas should rely solely on proven information sources, including the National Weather Service and the city Office of Emergency Management, to decide how to prepare for the heavy rainfall expected here," Turner said.

Turner encouraged residents to monitor "mainstream news sources" like ABC13 for further updates.

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