AKIPRESS.COM - United States Energy Secretary Rick Perry has canceled a planned visit to Kazakhstan because of Harvey storm, the U.S. Embassy in Astana said.

Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette would lead the U.S. delegation instead of Perry, it said.

Perry was due to meet Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev later on Monday.

Harvey, which wreaked havoc along the U.S. Gulf coast over the weekend, is the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years, killing at least two people, causing large-scale flooding, and forcing the closure of Houston port as well as several refineries, Reuters reported.