Ike slams Texas and Louisiana
Hurricane Ike slammed into the Texas coast causing widespread damage in Texas and neighboring Louisiana.
At one point about 4 million people lost power, and the Department of Energy says about 2.6 million are still without electricity. It may take several weeks before power is restored for many of these people.
Massive surge and flooding damage occurred along the coasts of southeastern Texas and Louisiana. Thousands of people are reportedly being rescued at the time of this report, some able to communicate only be waving from their rooftops with cellphone connections knocked out. Houston, Galveston, Port Arthur and Beaumont were especially hard hit.
About 20 percent of the U.S. oil refining capacity has been shut down because of the storm along with all the Gulf offshore oil rigs.
The Red Cross reports it is providing shelter to 20,000 people in all the effected areas.
Thousands of homes were reported to have suffered significant flood damage. The total number probably will not be known for until after the storm has passed completely. In Lake Charles, Louisiana, alone more than 1,800 homes were flooded, more than during Hurricane Rita 3 years ago.
At one point about 4 million people lost power, and the Department of Energy says about 2.6 million are still without electricity. It may take several weeks before power is restored for many of these people.
Massive surge and flooding damage occurred along the coasts of southeastern Texas and Louisiana. Thousands of people are reportedly being rescued at the time of this report, some able to communicate only be waving from their rooftops with cellphone connections knocked out. Houston, Galveston, Port Arthur and Beaumont were especially hard hit.
About 20 percent of the U.S. oil refining capacity has been shut down because of the storm along with all the Gulf offshore oil rigs.
The Red Cross reports it is providing shelter to 20,000 people in all the effected areas.
Thousands of homes were reported to have suffered significant flood damage. The total number probably will not be known for until after the storm has passed completely. In Lake Charles, Louisiana, alone more than 1,800 homes were flooded, more than during Hurricane Rita 3 years ago.
USA Today
Texas reels from Hurricane Ike's power
CNN -1 hour ago
GALVESTON, Texas (CNN) -- Hurricane Ike landed a powerful punch on the Texas Gulf Coast early Saturday, sparking fires, flooding streets and knocking out ...
PHOTOS: Hurricane Ike Pummels Texas CoastNational Geographic
Ike Swamps Texas, Leaving Widespread Flooding, 3 Million With No PowerABC News
Labels: hurricane ike, louisiana, texas
posted by Paul Kekai Manansala at 12:36 PM 0 comments 
![[Image of 5-day forecast of predicted track, and coastal areas under a warning or a watch]](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT07/refresh/AL0708W5_sm2+gif/180114W_sm.gif)
