The US National Guard Bureau says it is ready to dispatch 30,000 more troops to face Harvey if necessary as thousands of people are forced out of their homes and others remain stranded over the storm.
Air Force Major General James Witham said Wednesday that the Defense Department was raising its contribution to Hurricane Harvey, which has left nine people dead so far after making landfalls in populated areas.
Within a day, roughly 1,000 Texas National Guard troops are about to join the 3,000 currently engaged in rescue and recovery efforts, according to Witham, the director of domestic operations for the National Guard Bureau.
“We are looking at posturing, just on the National Guard side, an additional 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers and airmen, that if requested could be brought in,” he added, further estimating that the number could reach 8,000 to 10,000 in coming days.
