Tropical Storm Harvey in photos: Views of the Houston flood from the ground

Harvey is no ordinary storm.

Those old enough to remember Hurricane Katrina in 2005 can recall chilling images and video of a city submerged. A storm surge washed across New Orleans, inflicting countless casualties and billions in property damage.

In Houston, it was not a surge of seawater that flooded the nation's 4th-largest city, but rather trillions of gallons of water from relentless rainbands rotating around a stationary storm.

SEE ALSO: Houston's good Samaritans are watching out for each other as Harvey rages on

We don't yet know exactly how Harvey will measure up, but comparisons don't matter much at this stage. People are in real trouble right now, and with emergency services strained, it's down to local residents to help each other out and save lives.

Texans have risen admirably to the challenge. All across the storm-soaked region, Good Samaritans are lending a hand. Meanwhile, on social media, photographers of all stripes — from news organizations to everyday folks wielding smartphones — have kept track of every moment, conveying to the rest of the country how bad this disaster is.

These images are vital for understanding the scale and scope of the devastation from Tropical Storm Harvey.

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