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| 'Catastrophic' storm nears Texas | 'Catastrophic' storm nears Texas |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Hurricane Ike is nearing the Gulf coast of Texas and is expected to hit land within hours, causing "potentially catastrophic" flooding and damage. | Hurricane Ike is nearing the Gulf coast of Texas and is expected to hit land within hours, causing "potentially catastrophic" flooding and damage. |
| US disaster officials warned that as many as 100,000 homes could be affected by flooding. | |
| There are fears the hurricane could cause a high storm surge, leaving miles of low-lying coast underwater. | There are fears the hurricane could cause a high storm surge, leaving miles of low-lying coast underwater. |
| Some residents of coastal Galveston face "certain death" if they stay, the National Weather Service has warned. | |
| Hurricane Ike could have 'catastrophic effects' | Hurricane Ike could have 'catastrophic effects' |
| At 0500 GMT on Saturday, the "very large" hurricane was about 35 miles (55km) south-east of Galveston, with winds of around 110 mph (175km/h). | |
| The US National Hurricane Center said Ike could grow from a Category Two to a Category Three storm - a "major hurricane" - by the time it reaches the coast. | The US National Hurricane Center said Ike could grow from a Category Two to a Category Three storm - a "major hurricane" - by the time it reaches the coast. |
| Already its tropical storm force winds extend up to 275 miles (443km) - the length of the Texas coastline - from its centre. | |
| The massive system is buffeting Texas and causing flooding along the Louisiana coast, still recovering from Hurricane Gustav earlier this month. | |
| More than a million people in Texas have been advised to leave their homes before Ike hits. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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 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. | |
| RECENT MAJOR STORMS Hurricane Ike: SeptemberTropical Storm Hanna: SeptemberHurricane Gustav: August, SeptemberTropical Storm Fay: August class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7613741.stm">Ike eyewitness: 'I am afraid' class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/4270640.stm">Flashback: Galevston's great storm | |
| 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." |
| The Texas authorities have laid on more than 1,000 buses to facilitate the mass evacuation. | The Texas authorities have laid on more than 1,000 buses to facilitate the mass evacuation. |
| In Galveston - scene of the country's deadliest hurricane in 1900, which killed at least 6,000 people - 75 buses took residents to the state capital, Austin. Weak and chronically ill hospital patients were also being moved. | |
| The power is out and the authorities have imposed a curfew until dawn on Monday. | |
| But some residents were ignoring the dire warnings in Galveston, where Ike threatens to bring a 20ft (7m) high storm surge. | But some residents were ignoring the dire warnings in Galveston, where Ike threatens to bring a 20ft (7m) high storm surge. |
| "If it ain't your time you ain't going anywhere," Emory Sallie, 44, told AP news agency, while walking and drinking a beer near his home. | "If it ain't your time you ain't going anywhere," Emory Sallie, 44, told AP news agency, while walking and drinking a beer near his home. |
| Latest Hurricane Ike weather forecast | |
| Fire crews have already rescued more than 300 people there who were walking through flooded streets, clutching clothes and other belongings as they tried to wade to safety. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Are you in the areas affected? Are preparing to evacuate or are you staying in your home? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in the areas affected? Are preparing to evacuate or are you staying in your home? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |