Footage of Hurricane Harvey making landfall shows an imminent catastrophe in America

This is looking likely to be the biggest weather system to hit American land since the devastating Hurricane Katrina.

Twelve years ago, that hurricane killed over 1,200 people and caused over $100 billion worth of damages, and with Hurricane Harvey heading in the same direction, meteorologists were hoping that it would change course, or even run out of steam before it made landfall. Instead, the hurricane has increased in intensity, having been upgraded to a Category 4 in the last few hours, and several cities were given mandatory evacuation orders across Texas and Louisiana. There have been reports of several towns telling their inhabitants to write their names and social security numbers on their arms, and the national weather service has warned that much of the area may remain uninhabitable for the next few weeks or even months as the water levels return to normal. Meanwhile, as the eye of the hurricane passes over Texas, the early footage of the storm hitting is properly terrifying, as is the devastation left behind in the aftermath:

Video shows storm surge and high winds as Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas https://t.co/q6nPbVFw7D pic.twitter.com/XA9atswNI3

— CNN (@CNN) August 26, 2017

"I'm basically homeless..."

Texas residents describe the destruction and mayhem they are waking up to this morning from Hurricane #Harvey. pic.twitter.com/5ffssyUihj — Good Morning America (@GMA) August 26, 2017

Roofs have been ripped off homes and streets are lined with debris near Port Lavaca, Texas due to Hurricane #Harvey. https://t.co/Chn96PeBX0 pic.twitter.com/Hb5YrZRd9o

— ABC News (@ABC) August 26, 2017

JUST IN: This video shows just some of the many devastation caused by Hurricane #Harvey in Rockport, Texas - BNO pic.twitter.com/TC2lIebQJM

— News Center HQ (@247NewsHQ) August 26, 2017

WATCH: Video shows a car submerged in flood waters in Corpus Christi, Texas during Hurricane Harvey (via Brandon Clement/LSM) pic.twitter.com/4m5nLmQIRl

— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 26, 2017

.@GregAbbott_TX on Hurricane Harvey: "The @WhiteHouse is fully engaged, very helpful, very concerned about the people of Texas." #Hannity pic.twitter.com/oioXT1eyPg

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 26, 2017

Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Texas coast, unleashing torrents of rain and packing powerful winds pic.twitter.com/qBREZUJ1UB

— AFP news agency (@AFP) August 26, 2017