RICHMOND, Va. -- Larissa Ruuskanen is relieved to finally have her children safe at home. Her young son and daughter landed in Richmond Monday evening, after driving with family from Louisiana to Texas to catch their flight to Virginia.
"They were expected to fly from Dallas because they were unaccompanied minors and they had to take a direct flight so we were very nervous about them making it." Ruuskanen said.
As downpours brought by Tropical Storm Harvey continue to devastate Houston, heavy rain is now spreading to Louisiana.
A low pressure disturbance off the southeast coast, which could develop into another tropical storm, is complicating matters. The storm is expected to bring gusty winds and high surf into the Coastal Carolinas and Virginia.
So far, air travel problems are isolated to the Houston area, but aviation officials are watching the storms closely to determine any future cancellations.
George Bush Intercontinental will be closed until Thursday, while Hobby Airport is expected to begin flights again on Wednesday.
Houston is one of Southwest Airline's busiest hubs, with several direct flights to Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America.
Several airlines are offering impacted travelers waivers through September 6.
For residents stranded in Houston, impassable roads have made getting to any airport very difficult.
"I've never seen anything like this," said Houston resident and Virginia native Stacy Forsyth.
"It makes me sad that I see all these people needing help and even though they're only two and a half miles down the road, I can't get to them to try and help them."
Meanwhile the American Red Cross is mobilizing massive relief efforts on the ground, while several crews are making their way to staging areas in San Antonio and Austin.
Red Cross Communications Director Jonathan McNamara says his flight arrived in San Antonio this morning with no delays.
"We've having hundreds of volunteers coming from across the country, thirty from Virginia," said McNamara.
"They're leaving their families with one goal... to help Texas and provide support for people who need it most."
