A Texas flood control official has said the water level in the two area reservoirs are now over capacity and a dam is overflowing.

Harris County official Jeff Linder urged residents from six neighbourhoods near the Addicks and Barker reservoirs should leave if they can.

The Army Corps of Engineers has confirmed to a local news station that homes up river from the reservoirs are now flooding

Engineers have been periodically releasing water from area dams to relieve pressure and tried to limit the damage down to nearby homes. Some additional flooding in those areas was expected but Mr Linder said the current situation is "something we've never seen before."

They are attempting to repair the gauges on the dam which have also flooded but do not expect that the rainfall or current water levels will cause the Addicks dam to fail. It is expected to add water to the already flooded Buffalo Bayou, a major river running through the city.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

Barker dam controls the Buffalo Bayou to the west of the main city.

At least two feet (.6 m) of rain is expected to fall throughout the week.

Hurricane Harvey, now downgraded to a tropical storm, first made landfall on the Gulf of Mexico coast late night on 25 August. It is now centered mostly over the Houston metropolitan area.

It is estimated that some 17,000 people have been relocated to temporary shelters, but that could go up to 30,000. At least 450,000 people are expected to ask for federal aid.

There were several reports from local news stations that designated evacuation centres were also flooding by the morning on 29 August, forcing people camping out there to be relocated once again.

Brazoria County officials also announced via Twitter later in the morning that the levee in operation at Columbia Lakes "has been breached" and have warned residents to leave the area immediately.