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Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

  • <p>Tattered flags fly over a pile of water-soaked items as people clean up in a flood ravaged neighborhood Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. The city continues to recover from record flooding caused by Harvey. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP) </p>
    1/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Tattered flags fly over a pile of water-soaked items as people clean up in a flood ravaged neighborhood Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. The city continues to recover from record flooding caused by Harvey. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP)

  • <p>Greg Ingram looks around his water-damaged home after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP) </p>
    2/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Greg Ingram looks around his water-damaged home after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP)

  • <p>Volunteers from Performance Contractors help co-worker Cornell Beasley recover from damage to his home after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
    3/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Volunteers from Performance Contractors help co-worker Cornell Beasley recover from damage to his home after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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  • <p>Alma Castenda pulls her children’s artwork off the walls as she cleans up her flood-damaged home in the Verde Forest subdivision of Houston in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) </p>
    4/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Alma Castenda pulls her children’s artwork off the walls as she cleans up her flood-damaged home in the Verde Forest subdivision of Houston in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

  • <p>Love sofas are sitting outside in the sun to dry off as owners start to take flooded belongings to be dried after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) </p>
    5/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Love sofas are sitting outside in the sun to dry off as owners start to take flooded belongings to be dried after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

  • <p>Lorenzo Salina helps a neighbor to clean a house damaged by Tropical Storm Harvey in East Houston, Texas, U.S. September 1, 2017. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) </p>
    6/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Lorenzo Salina helps a neighbor to clean a house damaged by Tropical Storm Harvey in East Houston, Texas, U.S. September 1, 2017. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Stacey House in the background talking to her mother Dianne Smith house as they cleanup after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) </p>
    7/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Stacey House in the background talking to her mother Dianne Smith house as they cleanup after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

  • <p>Rogelio Salina takes as break as he helps a neighbor to clean a house damaged by Tropical Storm Harvey in East Houston, Texas, U.S. September 1, 2017. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) </p>
    8/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Rogelio Salina takes as break as he helps a neighbor to clean a house damaged by Tropical Storm Harvey in East Houston, Texas, U.S. September 1, 2017. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters)

  • <p>Chris Gaspard (R) and Derek Pelt (L) help remove a refrigerator and other ruined items from their friend Bryan Parson’s home following flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey September 1, 2017 in Dickinson, Texas. Dickinson was hit by Hurricane Harvey extremely hard with major flooding in many areas of the city and residents there are beginning the long process of recovery from the storm. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images) </p>
    9/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Chris Gaspard (R) and Derek Pelt (L) help remove a refrigerator and other ruined items from their friend Bryan Parson’s home following flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey September 1, 2017 in Dickinson, Texas. Dickinson was hit by Hurricane Harvey extremely hard with major flooding in many areas of the city and residents there are beginning the long process of recovery from the storm. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Menion Brock and Michelle Green clean up their home, damaged by floodwaters of Tropical Storm Harvey, in the Parkway Forest subdivision of Houston, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) </p>
    10/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Menion Brock and Michelle Green clean up their home, damaged by floodwaters of Tropical Storm Harvey, in the Parkway Forest subdivision of Houston, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

  • <p>Miguel Moncado, of Oxford Contractors, guts a flood-damaged home in the Meyerland neighborhood in Houston after Hurricane Harvey on Friday Sept, 1, 2017. (Photo: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) </p>
    11/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Miguel Moncado, of Oxford Contractors, guts a flood-damaged home in the Meyerland neighborhood in Houston after Hurricane Harvey on Friday Sept, 1, 2017. (Photo: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

  • <p>Willie Johnson, left, and his wife Loicy, clean up their flood-damaged home in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey in the Verde Forest subdivision of Houston on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) </p>
    12/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Willie Johnson, left, and his wife Loicy, clean up their flood-damaged home in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey in the Verde Forest subdivision of Houston on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Volunteers from Performance Contractors help co-worker Cornell Beasley recover from damage to his home after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
    13/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Volunteers from Performance Contractors help co-worker Cornell Beasley recover from damage to his home after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

  • <p>Stacey House looking off her balcony as her important papers and books are set to dry outside ruined by water after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) </p>
    14/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Stacey House looking off her balcony as her important papers and books are set to dry outside ruined by water after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

  • <p>Tyler Moody removes a mattress from a friend’s home after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP) </p>
    15/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Tyler Moody removes a mattress from a friend’s home after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP)

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Edward Casanova carries a chair as he helps dry out items from a friend’s house after floodwaters from Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP) </p>
    16/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Edward Casanova carries a chair as he helps dry out items from a friend’s house after floodwaters from Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP)

  • <p>People begin the process of cleaning up the damage to their property after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
    17/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    People begin the process of cleaning up the damage to their property after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

  • <p>Debris and possessions are left on the curb as people begin the process of cleaning up the damage to their property after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
    18/18

    Victims of Harvey return to clean up their water-damaged homes

    Debris and possessions are left on the curb as people begin the process of cleaning up the damage to their property after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

<p>Tattered flags fly over a pile of water-soaked items as people clean up in a flood ravaged neighborhood Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. The city continues to recover from record flooding caused by Harvey. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP) </p>
<p>Greg Ingram looks around his water-damaged home after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP) </p>
<p>Volunteers from Performance Contractors help co-worker Cornell Beasley recover from damage to his home after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
<p>Alma Castenda pulls her children’s artwork off the walls as she cleans up her flood-damaged home in the Verde Forest subdivision of Houston in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) </p>
<p>Love sofas are sitting outside in the sun to dry off as owners start to take flooded belongings to be dried after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) </p>
<p>Lorenzo Salina helps a neighbor to clean a house damaged by Tropical Storm Harvey in East Houston, Texas, U.S. September 1, 2017. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) </p>
<p>Stacey House in the background talking to her mother Dianne Smith house as they cleanup after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) </p>
<p>Rogelio Salina takes as break as he helps a neighbor to clean a house damaged by Tropical Storm Harvey in East Houston, Texas, U.S. September 1, 2017. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) </p>
<p>Chris Gaspard (R) and Derek Pelt (L) help remove a refrigerator and other ruined items from their friend Bryan Parson’s home following flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey September 1, 2017 in Dickinson, Texas. Dickinson was hit by Hurricane Harvey extremely hard with major flooding in many areas of the city and residents there are beginning the long process of recovery from the storm. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images) </p>
<p>Menion Brock and Michelle Green clean up their home, damaged by floodwaters of Tropical Storm Harvey, in the Parkway Forest subdivision of Houston, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) </p>
<p>Miguel Moncado, of Oxford Contractors, guts a flood-damaged home in the Meyerland neighborhood in Houston after Hurricane Harvey on Friday Sept, 1, 2017. (Photo: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) </p>
<p>Willie Johnson, left, and his wife Loicy, clean up their flood-damaged home in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey in the Verde Forest subdivision of Houston on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) </p>
<p>Volunteers from Performance Contractors help co-worker Cornell Beasley recover from damage to his home after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
<p>Stacey House looking off her balcony as her important papers and books are set to dry outside ruined by water after Hurricane Harvey, Thursday, August 31, 2017 in Baytown, TX. (Photo: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) </p>
<p>Tyler Moody removes a mattress from a friend’s home after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP) </p>
<p>Edward Casanova carries a chair as he helps dry out items from a friend’s house after floodwaters from Harvey drenched the city Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. (Photo: Gregory Bull/AP) </p>
<p>People begin the process of cleaning up the damage to their property after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
<p>Debris and possessions are left on the curb as people begin the process of cleaning up the damage to their property after torrential rains caused widespread flooding during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on September 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, dumped around 50 inches of rain in and around areas of Houston and Southeast Texas. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) </p>
Yahoo News Photo Staff

As water levels receded and search teams began checking abandoned homes for victims, Houston began a grim cleanup on Thursday and businesses began to reopen for the first time since Hurricane Harvey hit last weekend.

Previously flooded streets were lined with water-damaged furniture and roads filled with vehicles as residents went hunting for cleaning supplies, insurance estimates and repair help.

“It’s a bit overwhelming,” said John Becker as he salvaged personal items and hauled water-logged sheetrock from his home amid the hum of dehumidifiers and fans. Water that had reached 8 inches (20 cm) inside had ebbed. “We have flood insurance; we’ll do the best of it.”

See: How to help victims of Harvey >>>

Record rains and flooding from Harvey spread misery across a broad swath of the Houston metropolitan area of about 6.5 million people. Thursday brought a sense of it coming slowly back to life, however, with the city’s airports all operating again and the resumption of at least some public transportation services. (Reuters)
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