Devastated Texans Struggle To Recover

Hurricane Ike Survivors Contend With Devastation, Shortages, Blackouts; Death Toll Rises

(CBS/AP)  Kathi and Paul Norton huddled inside their house in Crystal Beach until it collapsed and was swept away.

"The whole floor was just opened out," said Paul Norton, 68. Their flag pole kept the house from collapsing on top of them, buying them a few seconds to escape, holding onto the staircase.

"You never know what a hurricane is like until you ride it on a staircase," said Kathi Norton, 47. As she spoke outside the giant, warehouse-like shelter on a former Air Force base in San Antonio, busloads of new evacuees were arriving, bumper to bumper.

The hurricane also battered the heart of the U.S. oil industry as Ike destroyed at least 10 production platforms, officials said. Details about the size and production capacity of the destroyed platforms were not immediately available, but the damage was to only a fraction of the 3,800 platforms in the Gulf.

It was too soon to know how seriously it would affect oil and gas prices.

President Bush said the hurricane's toll on refineries and pipelines is creating "an upward pressure on price" for people at the gas pump.

"There's going to be a pinch," Mr. Bush said after a briefing on hurricane recovery efforts. "I wish it wasn't the case, but it is."

Mr. Bush made plans to visit the area on Tuesday.

Ike was downgraded to a tropical depression as it moved north. Roads were closed in Kentucky because of high winds. As far north as Chicago, dozens of people in a suburb had to be evacuated by boat. Two million people were without power in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Of the 32 dead, five were in the hard-hit barrier island city of Galveston, including one body found in a vehicle submerged in floodwater at the airport. There were two other deaths in Texas and six in Louisiana, including a 16-year-old boy trapped in rising floodwaters. Several were farther inland.

Two golfers died when a tree fell on them in Tennessee. There were two deaths in Indiana; three died in Missouri. One person died in Arkansas and three in Ohio, including two motorcyclists killed when a tree toppled on them at a state park.

Ike killed more than 80 in the Caribbean before reaching the U.S.

Houston, the fourth-largest U.S. city, was reduced to near-paralysis in some places. But power was on in downtown office towers Sunday afternoon, and Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical complex, was unscathed and remained open. Both places have underground power lines.

Its two airports - including George Bush Intercontinental, one of the busiest in the United States - were set to reopen Monday with limited service. But schools were closed until further notice, and the business district was shuttered.

Five people were arrested at a pawn shop north of Houston and charged with burglary in what Harris County Sheriff's spokesman Capt. John Martin described as looting, but there was no widespread spike in crime.

Authorities said Sunday afternoon that 1,984 people had been rescued, including 394 by air. Besides people literally plucked to safety, that figure includes people met by crews as they waded through floodwaters trying to find dry ground.

(Left: Floodwaters caused by Hurricane Ike cover Texas Highway 73 near Winnie, Texas, on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008.)

Still others chose to remain in their homes along the Texas coast even after the danger of the storm had passed. There was no immediate count Sunday of how many people remained in their homes, or how many were in danger. The Red Cross reported 42,000 people were at state and Red Cross shelters Saturday night.

The search-and-rescue effort included more than 50 helicopters, and 1,500 searchers and teams from federal, state and local agencies.

From the city of Orange alone, near the Louisiana line, more than 700 people sought dry ground - "a Herculean effort to organize a reverse evacuation that nobody had ever planned for," Mayor Brown Claybar said.

Rescue crews vowed to continue the search until they had knocked on every door. They were helped by receding floodwaters, but there were constant surprises as people rowed and sloshed through towns.

The storm also took a toll in Louisiana, where hundreds of homes were flooded and power outages worsened as the state struggles to recover from Hurricane Gustav, which struck over Labor Day.

In Hackberry, La., about 15 miles from the coast, workers moved a large shrimp boat out of the highway with a bulldozer, but the team had to stop because of strong currents in the floodwaters and difficulty in seeing the roadway.

Thayne Culbertson, a disabled veteran and commercial fisherman, rode out the storm at a friend's apartment in Galveston. As someone who has been through several hurricanes, he decided to stay behind for Ike in case he could help.

Instead, help had to find him. He was picked up by a helicopter after a toppled utility pole battered the building and windows were blown out. He later boarded a bus to San Antonio.

During the storm, he said, "the sand felt like it was peeling away your skin."

[vhub-2009]

It is amazing to me that no matter what FEMA does people say they dropped the ball. How many people have they fed and gave water to in the last week? Some people did not get everything they need, but thousands did. There are alot of people misplaced right now and FEMA is handling it. At some point we need to start taking care of ourselves and quit waiting on the government to do everything for us. How many people knew the storm was coming and prepared for it? More people need to do that and stop waiting on the goverment to fix the problem after they screw up.

[hissteps4u]

Having survived Camille, Fredrick, Allen, Andrew to simplky name a Few direct Hits I have suffered. While I feel for Galvaston they had it rather light in comparison to those iz have mentioned and suffefed through. Their plight is far less grave and lest devestative than those I also mentioned and suffered through for months on end.

With Camille i lOst everythiing was unemployed for a year, was without Electricity for 6 months and toughed it out with a wife and 4 children.

In Fredrick I lost my Home cars and all belongings once again rode the storm out in the Home which came down around us roof flew off and destroyed everything in my community in Dauphin Island No power or amenities for mOnths once again.

galvaston can be releived tghat it was not the Major storm it could have been yet they have suffered in the past 1900''s and 1906 through the 1950''s suffered Major devistation at the hands of a number of storms.

It is a cycle many wish to forget and often do not prepair for so they like all such communities suffer for their last of prepairation.

The governmentr is always slow to get in and take care of residents who stayed I think they do their best most of the time for those like me who have ridden out some of the most Major hurricans in the past half century

I left the Gulf coast and headed west.. No Hurricans but now subject to Earth Quakes far less occurances of those than the yearly Hurricans LOL

[jackiean1]

Since the Dems keep telling us how Jesus was a "community organizer" and Pontius Pilate was only a Governor.

Why are we only seeing interviews with the Governors and Mayors from the disaster areas?

When will we be hearing from those miracle working "community organizers" ?

Who needs FEMA when we have them?

[lewiston14]

People are dead or dying and all you can do is worry about a nintendo game. Go help unload a truck, do something usefull

[lewiston14]

angry Sorry about the spelling. The keyboard batts are getting getting low time to recharge them using my space. And yes I got to you because you responded. Truth hurts dont it.

[lewiston14]

"lewiston14, let me guess-you just like to sound stupid. You wasted your time trying to make me angry.

Posted by whatisit21

No actually I could care less. If I make you angey tough. Sure would like to know where you work so I phone them about your actions.

[whatisit21]

lewiston14, let me guess-you just like to sound stupid. You wasted your time trying to make me angry.

[lewiston14]

God forbid your kids go without nintendo for a week. So your using company assets for personal reasons. I would fire you on the spot. Are they going to dry up and blow away without their nintendo games. They should get a life as yours seems to be gone ME FIRST

[whatisit21]

Galveston is messed up but it will be back and the first thing open will be a Chinese Restaurant. I never understood why they called Galveston an Island when it is really a sandbar. Jamaica is an Island. Galveston is a sandbar. Most of Houston is without power. Grocery stores are slowly coming back and there isn''t really any gas. But in spots around town there are places to eat, stores that are selling food, and neighbors that do help out. Ike went north and caused more destruction and deaths and that is the real tragedy because those people were caught off guard. When Ike hit, it blew a tree onto the roof of my bedroom and crashed into my bed. Me and the family were in the living room. I closed the bedroom door and went back to my kids to stand watch while they slept. When the storm passed, I slept. The power is still out and we are eating canned food and drinking water. I am posting this from work because that is the only place I know that has power and they deliver food to us during work hours. When I go home, the house will be hot but those days will pass. When I get the day off, I''ll take the family to a place where we can shop and just relax until the power comes back. I even take my kids nintendo ds to work with me to charge it because that is the only way to charge it for them and that is the only form of entertainment they have right now.

[petro49l]

Hey birdie (brdlikbilsss), take your Mellaril and Thorazine. Ask your doctor for a full frontal lobotomy. The surgery will restore your sanity.

[petro49l]

FEMA fumbled the ball again. The federal agency did not supply the disaster area with food and water. FEMA is a corrupt, senile organization. The Department of Homeland Security should dismantle FEMA and hire new senior managers.

[andrew_693]

why donate anything? I donated things for katrina and a few months ago they found entire warehouses full of supplies the survivors never were given. Fema and bush will keep half of what people donate and the rest resell it to keep the billions pouring into iraq.

[lewiston14]

I hope when I posted that I like Dallas no one thought I did not like other places. I have never been to Houston so I can not make a comment about it. What I was saying to that jerk poster was I have no issues with Texas or its people.

[airboatboy1]

Well then, whatisit21, if it''s just the media makin'' things look bad, why don''t you grab the little wife, hop in your car and go to Galveston for a nice day at the beach? Oh, and you might want to pack a lunch. The media says the Chinese restaurants are really busy this time of year.

[whatisit21]

Live and work in Houston. Watched the hurricane saturday morning. Went to work Sunday and monday. No power for 3 days but when I was a kid, it went out for no reason and stayed out for a week or more. The media makes it sound real bad but people in the area are going to work. Some restaurants and bars are even open. Sunday afternoon me and the wife had lunch in a Chinese restaurant after buying a camp stove. People in Texas do know how to get by and not sniffle about it. There wouldn''t even be a curfew if it wasn''t for those criminals trying to break into a business.

[oneworldusa]

I''m just glad so many people did/could evacuate. But today near many hurricane-prone areas, 3 days of food/water is not enough. You need at least a week of unperishable food/water and fuel for vehicles and generators in advance of a storm like this.

[s7139405151]

What sad as I read these comments is that most of it is trash. I just got power on and had to experience this tragedy. For those in galveston that stayed some had no choice. FEMA who indicated that they would help people to evacuate didn''t and alot of people were lefted behind. Some told that their was not enough time to evacuate everyone. Secondly not only was galveston effected as Houston and all surronding metro-areas were affected as well. These people were told NOT to evacauate so other in galveston can. This affected some many others and to call them IDOITS and talk trash about these people that are suffering . Instead and talking about what city weather is better or worst in Texas, talk about what you are going to do to help those that are affected as one day you might have to experience the same thing or worst. And as for BUSH, OBAMA and JACKSON I have not seen or heard from Bush, McCain, or Palin but I have seen and heard from Obama, and Jackson. And whats crazy is BUSH lived in Texas. So for the rest of the world that is sitting and watching this happen on television stop and think about those that are living it.

[txgrouch2006]

I happen to like Dallas
Posted by lewiston14 at 08:53 PM : Sep 15, 2008

I spent 2 months in Dallas once. I''ve got news for you. The weather in Dallas is WORSE than Houston.

It''s hotter, colder, windier, wetter, dryer, the thunderclouds are darker, and there are WAY more tornadoes. There was at least one almost every week I was there.

You know you''re in Dallas when ALL of the flags are sticking STRAIGHT out, ALL DAY.

The only thing worse about Houston is the humidity. AND THAT''S WHAT EVERYBODY FROM DALLAS COMPLAINS ABOUT as soon as they arrive in Houston. They say "Getting out of the plane was like stepping into a SAUNA! How do you guys STAND this humidity?"

When I go to Dallas someday, I want to say "Getting out of the plane was like stepping into an oven, a freezer, a blender, a giant hair dryer..." But they wouldn''t listen, they''re too busy getting drunk and hitting on the girl next to them. Which is ALL anyone in Dallas ever does, besides go to work.

Then sometime I''ll tell you about Austin - the California of Texas.

[txgrouch2006]

**** Texas.
Posted by cdfoxtrot3 at 08:48 PM : Sep 15, 2008

Same back at you, partner. God bless you, and may the big storms pass you by.

[txgrouch2006]

60 mph winds and 50,000 with no power but I got luck to. nothing more then a few leaves off the trees.
Posted by lewiston14 at 08:40 PM : Sep 15, 2008

Sorry! :-) I guess NO PLACE is safe to live.

What do these "no pity for Texas" posters think? Should we just ABANDON EVERYPLACE because there might be a thunderstorm??? LOL!

Guess what, sissy boys. LIFE IS HARD. Get over it.