Houston struggles to recover from Ike's wrath

14 September 2008 18:08  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--The destructive winds of hurricane Ike were gone, but rain, power blackouts and flooding continued to beset Houston as the city struggled on Sunday to recover.

 

Houston Mayor Bill White urged area residents - who have been sheltering in their homes since Friday - to continue to stay off the city’s streets.

 

He discouraged people from going out to view storm damage or to try to travel anywhere by car.

 

“There’s no need to be out on the roads,” White said during a press conference.

 

He cautioned residents against going out and possibly getting stranded or injured and thereby creating more work for already overwhelmed rescue and medical teams.

 

“There’s no need for emergency rescues” for motorists attempting to brave high water on the road, he said.

 

Water pressure remained low in many areas of the city, including some assisted living centres, White said.

 

Debris removal crews were concentrating on clearing main thoroughfares, White said. 

 

Work to clear smaller avenues and residential streets may take some time, he indicated.

 

White urged residents to practice self-sufficiency when possible.

 

“I would just ask the citizens of the community to look after your neighbour,” White said.

 

Some 2.2m Texas residents fled northward in advance of Hurricane Ike, and authorities have urged those evacuees to not return to their homes yet.

 

In addition to wide-scale damage and disruption to city and suburban property throughout southern Texas, Ike has caused damage to as many as 100 chemical plants and refineries in the state, sources said.

 

Almost all US offshore oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico remains shut-in, and federal officials said two US drilling rigs were torn from their moorings and are adrift in the Gulf.

 

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By: Brian Ford
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