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| 'Catastrophic' storm hits Texas | 'Catastrophic' storm hits Texas |
| (40 minutes 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). | The National Hurricane Center said the storm's eye hit 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, is already under water after a 12ft (3.7m) storm surge. |
| There are fears for 23,000 residents who have ignored orders to evacuate. | There are fears for 23,000 residents who have ignored orders to evacuate. |
| 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 Flashback: Galevston's great 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. | 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. |
| Residents of low-lying homes were told they risked "certain death" if they stayed. Before it hit land, Ike was unleashing storm force winds over a distance of up to 275 miles (443km) - the length of the Texas coastline - from its centre. | Residents of low-lying homes were told they risked "certain death" if they stayed. Before it hit land, Ike was unleashing storm force winds over a distance of up to 275 miles (443km) - the length of the Texas coastline - from its centre. |
| Calls for rescue will be ignored until daybreak because emergency workers have been pulled off the streets, the Houston Chronicle newspaper reported. | Calls for rescue will be ignored until daybreak because emergency workers have been pulled off the streets, the Houston Chronicle newspaper reported. |
| "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. | "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. |
| Ike eyewitness: 'I am afraid' | |
| 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. |
| More than 70 buses took residents to the state capital, Austin. | More than 70 buses took residents to the state capital, Austin. |
| Weak and chronically ill hospital patients were also being moved. | 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. | US officials warned as many as 100,000 homes in Texas could be affected by flooding. |
| More than 1,000 buses have been laid on to facilitate an evacuation order affecting more than a million people. | More than 1,000 buses have been laid on to facilitate an evacuation order affecting more than a million people. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Latest Hurricane Ike weather forecast | |
| 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. | 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. |
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| 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. |
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