Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Sunday emphasized the severity of flooding in Houston after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas.

"Obviously the water is rising. This is a situation that Houstonians have dealt with before, because Houston is an area that is prone to flood about once a year like this," Abbott said during an interview on ABC's "This Week."

"But this is one of the worst, if not the worst, that Houston has suffered."

Abbott said the top goal of officials is to save as many lives as possible, adding that it is an "all-out effort."

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Abbott added that the state is very appreciative of what the federal government is doing in response to the storm.

The storm — which made landfall in Texas on Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane before it was downgraded — resulted in at least five deaths.

At least 14 other people have been injured, according to The Associated Press.

Severe flooding is reported in Houston and other towns in southeast Texas, and hundreds of thousands of people remain without power.

More than 1,000 people had been rescued in the area overnight, according to CNN.