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'Catastrophic' storm hits Texas 'Catastrophic' storm hits Texas
(about 2 hours later)
Hurricane Ike has made landfall on the Gulf coast of Texas, where it is expected to cause "potentially catastrophic" flooding and damage.Hurricane Ike has made landfall on the Gulf coast of Texas, where it is expected to cause "potentially catastrophic" flooding and damage.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm's eye hit Galveston at 0710 GMT with winds of up to 110 mph (175km/h). It hit land at Galveston at 0710 GMT, with winds of up to 110 mph (175km/h).
Much of the city, which in 1900 was the scene of the country's deadliest hurricane, is already under water after a 12ft (3.7m) storm surge. Much of the city, which in 1900 was the scene of the country's deadliest hurricane, was already under water after a 12ft (3.7m) storm surge.
There are fears for 23,000 residents who have ignored orders to evacuate. The National Hurricane Center says the eye of the storm is now turning away from Houston, heading towards Arkansas.
1900 GALVESTON HURRICANE Thought to be worst natural disaster in US history8,000 people killed130mph (209km/h) winds and 15ft (4.6m) waves swept homes away href="/1/hi/world/americas/4270640.stm">Flashback: Galveston's great storm We are largely trapped here. The power went out five hours ago, the lowest floor is submerged. Rajesh Mirchandani BBC News, Houston href="/1/hi/world/americas/7613741.stm">Ike eyewitness: 'I am afraid' class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7613851.stm">'One million homeless' in Haiti Mandatory evacuation orders affected more than one million people, but there are fears for up to 90,000 people across Texas who officials say decided to brave out the storm.
The authorities in Galveston, which lies on a small island off the coast of Texas, have imposed a curfew until dawn, the city had lost power and a number of houses were on fire. In Galveston, an estimated 23,000 residents stayed behind.
Residents of low-lying homes were told they faced "certain death" if they stayed. Before it hit land, Ike, a Category Two storm, was unleashing storm force winds over a distance of up to 275 miles (443km) - the length of the Texas coastline - from its centre. A local journalist, Jessica Willey, based in Galveston which lies on a small island off the coast of Texas, told the BBC that it was the worst storm she had ever seen.
Calls for rescue will be ignored until daybreak because emergency workers have been pulled off the streets, the Houston Chronicle newspaper reported. "The winds are sustained at 120 mph (193km/h) per hour, or higher. The rain is coming sideways. Debris is flying through the air. Things are getting ripped off buildings every second, and flying through the air," she said.
"We don't know what we are going to find. We hope we will find the people who are left here alive and well," Galveston mayor Lynda Ann Thomas said. "It's just overall incredibly dangerous right now to be outside."
class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7613741.stm">Ike eyewitness: 'I am afraid' class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7613851.stm">'One million homeless' in Haiti The Galveston fire department has received more than 100 calls for help, the Houston Chronicle newspaper reported, but all emergency workers have been pulled off the streets until daybreak when a curfew will be lifted.
See the likely path of Hurricane Ike through the USEnlarge Image
Those who called were told to climb up as high as they could in their homes.
"We don't know what we are going to find," Galveston mayor Lynda Ann Thomas said. "We hope we will find the people who are left here alive and well."
There is widespread flooding, and a hospital there is under at least 9.8ft (3 metres of water). The city has lost power and a number of houses were reported to be on fire.
It will be several hours before it is possible to gauge the scale of the damage.
Residents of low-lying homes were warned that they faced "certain death" if they stayed.
Emory Sallie, 44, was one of those who chose to stay behind despite warnings of a 20ft-25ft (6m-7.6m) storm surge.Emory Sallie, 44, was one of those who chose to stay behind despite warnings of a 20ft-25ft (6m-7.6m) storm surge.
"If it ain't your time you ain't going anywhere," he told AP news agency, while walking and drinking a beer near his home. "If it ain't your time you ain't going anywhere," he told AP news agency, while walking and drinking a beer near his home before the storm hit.
More than 70 buses took residents to the state capital, Austin.
Weak and chronically ill hospital patients were also being moved.
'Very large''Very large'
US officials warned as many as 100,000 homes in Texas could be affected by flooding. At 1100 GMT, Hurricane Ike was about 15 miles (25km) east of Houston airport.
More than 1,000 buses have been laid on to facilitate an evacuation order affecting more than a million people. There were fears that the city of Houston would take a direct hit, but forecasters say Ike is moving away from the city and is expected to head north-east toward Arkansas.
However, it remains a strong Category 2 storm with winds of up to 100mph (161km/h).
Hurricane force winds extend outwards from the eye of the storm for 125 miles (205km) and tropical storm force winds by 260 miles (415km).
US officials have warned as many as 100,000 homes in Texas could be affected by flooding.
Nearly 4.5 million people in the Houston-Galveston area are without electricity, a spokesman for power company CenterPoint Energy said.
The BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani in Houston says ferocious winds and rain have been lashing at his hotel for 10 hours.
The BBC's John Hammond tracks the path of Hurricane Ike
"We are largely trapped here," he said. "The power went out five hours ago, the lowest floor is submerged. Outside walls and ceilings have collapsed, the glass atrium in the lobby shattered.
"With the threat of rising seas, hotel guests have been ushered into the concrete stairwell, the sturdiest part of the building, and urged to climb to higher floors," he said.
The massive system is causing flooding along the Louisiana coast, still recovering from Hurricane Gustav earlier this month.The massive system is causing flooding along the Louisiana coast, still recovering from Hurricane Gustav earlier this month.
In Houston, where the winds are threatening to shake skyscrapers, people have been told to shelter at home, board up their properties and stockpile supplies. 1900 GALVESTON HURRICANE Thought to be worst natural disaster in US history8,000 people killed130mph (209km/h) winds and 15ft (4.6m) waves swept homes away class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/4270640.stm">Flashback: Galveston's great storm Authorities are trying to avoid a repeat of 2005, when some 110 people died in Houston during a chaotic evacuation in the face of Hurricane Rita.
Authorities are trying to avoid a repeat of 2005, when some 110 people died in Houston during a chaotic evacuation in the face of Hurricane Rita.
The hurricane's predicted path will take it past Galveston and on to Houston, home to America's biggest oil refinery and Nasa's Johnson Space Center.
"Our nation is facing what is by any means a potentially catastrophic hurricane," said US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff."Our nation is facing what is by any means a potentially catastrophic hurricane," said US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
He added: "This storm is so big in fact that its impact is already being felt all along the Gulf Coast."He added: "This storm is so big in fact that its impact is already being felt all along the Gulf Coast."
In the Gulf of Mexico, ports are shut and almost all energy production has been suspended as a precaution, although Ike was expected to miss most of the installations.In the Gulf of Mexico, ports are shut and almost all energy production has been suspended as a precaution, although Ike was expected to miss most of the installations.
The storm would be the first major hurricane to hit a US metropolitan area since Katrina devastated New Orleans three years ago.
President George W Bush has declared a federal emergency in Texas, allowing funds to be freed to help the state deal with the storm.President George W Bush has declared a federal emergency in Texas, allowing funds to be freed to help the state deal with the storm.
Ike has already caused devastation in Cuba and Haiti, where hundreds of people have died in several tropical storms over the last month.Ike has already caused devastation in Cuba and Haiti, where hundreds of people have died in several tropical storms over the last month.
The Haitian prime minister, Michele Pierre-Louis, believes one million people may be homeless, and has called for international help.The Haitian prime minister, Michele Pierre-Louis, believes one million people may be homeless, and has called for international help.
The UN says more than $100m (£55.8m) is needed.The UN says more than $100m (£55.8m) is needed.
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