Apple accepting donations for Hurricane Harvey relief

Apple has partnered with the American Red Cross and started accepting donations through the iTunes Store for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

Apple CEO Tim Cook on Sunday announced the efforts on Twitter: "Prayers for Texas and all those affected by #HurricaneHarvey. Join us in the relief effort by donating: http://apple.co/2xmVm50."

Users can donate money in $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 and $200 denominations and Apple will transfer all the money to the Red Cross.

Harvey first made landfall in Rockport, located northeast of Corpus Christi, at 10 p.m. on Friday as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 215 kmph.

Though it has now weakened to a tropical storm, Harvey was the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in 12 years. At least five people have been killed and over dozens injured.

Over 3,000 flights have been cancelled over the weekend due to the "catastrophic" flooding which on Sunday particularly hit Houston, the fourth largest city in the US with 2 million inhabitants and where the flood water could reach 1 m deep.

US President Donald Trump will travel to Texas on Tuesday to appraise the amount of damage brought by Hurricane Harvey, which has now downgraded to a tropical storm that is causing catastrophic flooding.

"I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety," CNN quoted the President as saying in a tweet on Sunday.

--IANS

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