Galveston Resort Turns Into Storm Central

Ike may become Category 3 storm before landfall

(NEWSER) - Officials in Houston and Galveston warned residents to stay put tonight as Hurricane Ike threatened to become a Category 3 storm, CNN reports. “If someone has not left the island by now, they need to go get inside and stay there,” the mayor of Galveston said. Nearly a quarter million Texas residents have opted to stay despite warnings that Ike may be the worst storm to hit the state in 50 years, MSNBC reports. More»

Galveston, Houston homes still lack power, gas, water

(NEWSER) - Houston- and Galveston-area communities continued to struggle post-Hurricane Ike today, the AP reports. Divers cleared debris from navigation routes into Houston and looked for bodies along the coastline; most of the city remains without power for a fifth day. On Galveston Island and the nearby Bolivar Peninsula—which still lack gas, power, and running water—officials struggled to keep residents from returning to their homes. More»

(NEWSER) - Galveston’s historic district is under 7 feet of water, and 4 million Houston area residents are without power after Hurricane Ike’s rampage through the region. Ike, which hit Galveston as a Category 2 hurricane, has since been downgraded to a Category 1, CNN reports. Officials warned that the storm will retain hurricane force through this afternoon. More»

Thousands call for rescue; millions lose power

(AP) - Hurricane Ike battered the southeast Texas coast today with driving rain and ferocious wind gusts, the eye of the storm powering ashore at Galveston at 3:10am as a strong Category 2 storm. Thousands of homes and government buildings flooded, roads were washed out and several fires burned unabated as crews could not reach them. More than 2.9 million lost power, and suppliers warned it could be weeks before service was restored. More»

Hurricane growing stronger as it closes in on Texas coast

(AP) - Authorities in the Houston area and along the southeast Texas Gulf Coast ordered hundreds of thousands to evacuate today as Hurricane Ike lumbered toward the coast and threatened to grow even stronger. Traffic was building on roadways leading away from low-lying areas in Galveston County, and officials urged residents to finish storm preparations quickly. Some gas stations were running out of fuel as residents scurried to leave. More»