Ike wears itself out beating up on Texas
September 14, 2008
GALVESTON, Texas (CNN) — Rescuers in Galveston, Texas, were going door-to-door Saturday to check on the estimated 20,000 people who failed to flee Hurricane Ike, which has slowed to tropical storm status.
Park benches are strewn about in downtown Houston Saturday during Hurricane Ike.
As of Saturday afternoon, the Galveston Fire Department had taken 27 people to a shelter in a high school on the coastal island, which was without electricity or water pressure.
No casualties had been discovered so far in the search and rescue efforts, which have been hampered by heavy flooding and scattered debris.
Galveston had ordered evacuation of the island, but Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc said about 40 percent of the city’s 57,523 residents chose to stay.
LeBlanc said the island would be closed while authorities assess damages, including to the causeway, which was in “bad shape” because of debris and road damage.
“The road buckled in a number of places,” LeBlanc said. “Even if we opened it up you couldn’t get through.”
Read more Ike wears itself out beating up on Texas
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