PHOTOS: Thousands Flee Texas Coast as Hurricane Harvey Approaches

Tens of thousands of Texans are fleeing the low-lying areas of the Gulf Coast as potentially catastrophic Hurricane Harvey moves toward landfall later on Friday. Bumper-to-bumper traffic packed Interstate 37, the main evacuation route away from Corpus Christi on Thursday afternoon.

Satellite view of Hurricane #Harvey as the storm approaches the Texas Coast. #txwx #stxwx pic.twitter.com/kk7u8i7nBN

— NWS Corpus Christi (@NWSCorpus) August 25, 2017

On Thursday afternoon, Breitbart Texas’ Tony Aranda reported mandatory evacuation orders for residents of Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Ingleside, Rockport, Portland, and Refugio. Officials warned residents if they did not heed the warning they would likely be on their own.

The effect of the warnings became apparent as Coastal Bend residents flocked to the highway to avoid potentially deadly storm surges, major hurricane-force winds, and potentially devastating flooding from rains.

Kevin Steele, a 12NewsNow anchor posted on Facebook, “I-37 stacked up heading out of Corpus. What’s the pivotal point for you? We have some hurricane vets here. What do you need to hear to say, “boom, we’re out!”

By Friday morning, TxDOT traffic cameras show no traffic on roadways leading out of Port Aransas and the main arteries from Corpus Christi.

Galveston County issued new evacuation orders for San Leon, Bacliff, Old Bayou Vista and Highland Bayou on Friday morning,

JUST IN: Galveston Co. expands voluntary evacuation order for San Leon, Bacliff, Old Bayou Vista and Highland Bayou https://t.co/3R9omFMP4H

— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) August 25, 2017

Cameras from Galveston show no irregular traffic on Interstate 45, the main escape route from Galveston Island.

Hurricane Harvey is expected to be a major Category 3 hurricane by the time it makes landfall Friday night near Rockport.

Thursday evening in Houston (200 miles to the north), gas stations began running out of gasoline and store shelves sat empty in the bottled water aisles.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.