Deaths, devastation and aid shortages plauge residents already on edge from storm

wake of Hurricane Ike, Texas is forging onward with one of the state's largest recovery efforts in history. Houston is littered with skyscraper glass, while areas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf Coast have been evacuated; millions are unsure when they will be allowed to return home. So far, more than 30 deaths have been attributed to Ike's destruction in eight different states around the Gulf region. And as Federal Emergency Management Agency workers enter the region to offer aid, the aftermath is already being called a humanitarian crisis. Nearly 3 million homes and businesses throughout the region still have no electricity. President George W. Bush will visit the region on Tuesday, where he'll find increased flooding, decreasing food supplies, and millions of evacuees who don't know what they will see when they return home. Here's a look.

 
 
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Member Comments

  • Posted By: spoiledtexan @ 09/20/2008 1:33:28 PM

    Until you have gone through something like this, you really cannot sit back and judge other people for what they are or are not doing. The situation in this city and the surrounding cities is horrible, we have all been basically shut down. Grocery stores are just now getting food back on the shelves, and don't even talk about gas! I will tell you though, people ARE helping themselves, the only thing they CANNOT do is flip the switch or hang the wires or put up the downed poles in order to get their electricity back. As far as their own homes, people are doing for themselves and coming together as communities, I'm proud of the way all of the hard hit cities/towns are coming along. Maybe try being neighborly rather than judgemental, it will get you a lot further in life!

  • Posted By: Robyndar @ 09/20/2008 1:16:09 PM

    My son lives in Spring, north of Houston, the electrical company had a major failure and they will be without service for at least three weeks. We live in Oklahoma and meet him Monday in Dallas with our generator, two more we purchased from OKC, 2 window air conditioners and 12 5 gallon gas cans. They filled all the gas cans, their truck, and the generators south of dallas. It took them 6 hours (a 3 hour trip) because of all the traffic. There are signs saying not to go to Houston because of limited gas, so most people were stopping in Huntsville and it backed up the highway traffic. the cost of what we spent and the gas was well over $3500, my son and his wife have good jobs and they are fortunate to be able to take care of themselves and have family that can help. A lot of these people aren't able to do such things or have family. Those are the ones that will struggle....There are, I think, 5 Million people in that area...the point is MILLIONS are taking care of themselves with limited food, water and gas. Don't be so quick to judge. My sons neighbors are helping each other. Taking care of one another, That is the American Way!

  • Posted By: MJ777 @ 09/20/2008 11:35:40 AM

    All the readiness in the world cannot prepare you for some of the damage. I have family there and they were advised by the goverment not to leave because they wanted the people living on the coast to get out.It is extremely hot there and humid. To get gas is hard and at times downright dangerous. They work all day cleaning up their neighborhood and all night trying to get some rest.I believe until you experience it for yourself that you will never know what it is like or how you will react. I do know that spouting hateful things when you are not informed shows a lack of social understanding. Karma sucks that is one thing I do know.

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