Home>News Center>World
             
     

    Millions who fled Rita told to halt return
    (AP)
    Updated: 2005-09-25 11:09

    About 3 million people had fled a 500-mile stretch of the Texas-Louisiana coast ahead of Rita. The mass exodus produced gridlock and heartbreak; a bus of evacuees caught fire south of Dallas while stick in traffic, killing as many as 24 nursing home residents.

    Though Houston authorities urged residents not to rush home to a city lacking many essential services, inbound roads were already clogging Saturday afternoon. Most stores in Houston were closed, bank machines had no cash, and police were controlling the long lines at the few open gas stations.

    "Frankly the fuel is not going to come as quickly as those here might like and those traveling might like," said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Houston.

    As Rita's winds swept past, several fires broke out in and around Houston, including one in a two-story apartment building that damaged at least eight units. Several buildings were damaged or destroyed by fire in Galveston, and a blaze broke out before dawn at a shopping complex in Pasadena.

    A gas station is damaged after Hurricane Rita pounded Nederland, Texas, September 24, 2005. [Reuters]
    A gas station is damaged after Hurricane Rita pounded Nederland, Texas, September 24, 2005. [Reuters]
    As the sun came up in downtown Beaumont, a port city of 114,000, the few people who stayed behind emerged to find some blown-out windows, damaged roofs, signs twisted and lying in the street and scattered downed trees. There was some standing water, but no significant flooding.

    In Beaumont's nine-story Elegante Hotel, wind blew out massive windows in the lobby, bringing down a chandelier and ripping part of the roof off.

    "We stayed in a stairwell most of the time," said Rainey Chretien, who works at the front desk. "I didn't think it was going to be this bad."

    As the storm raged, the torches of oil refineries could be seen burning in the distance from downtown Beaumont. The facilities represent a quarter of the nation's oil refining capacity and business analysts said damage from Rita could send gas prices as high as $4 a gallon. Environmentalists warned of the risk of a toxic spill.

    President Bush, mindful of criticism the federal government was slow to respond to Hurricane Katrina three weeks ago, visited the Texas emergency operations center in Austin on Saturday.

    Like other officials, Bush urged citizens not to prematurely assume the danger was over.

    "Even though the storm has passed the coastline, the situation is still dangerous because of potential flooding," he said. "People who are safe now ought to remain in safe conditions."

    Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation's largest retailer, said Rita forced the closure of 150 of its facilities in Texas and Louisiana. About half of them were without power early Saturday. Home Depot Inc. said 46 of its stores were closed, including 41 in the Houston market.

    More than 460,000 CenterPoint Energy customers in Texas were without power Saturday evening. More than 813,000 Entergy customers were also affected by power outages in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. TXU Electric Delivery said about 100,000 customers in East Texas lost service, too.


    Page: 1234



    Anti-war demonstrators rally in Washington
    Hurricane Rita causing havoc in U.S.
    Moscow court rejects oil tycoon's appeal
     
      Today's Top News     Top World News
     

    China pursuing independent approach to currency reforms

     

       
     

    Rich nations urged to abandon protectionism

     

       
     

    Iran rejects IAEA resolution

     

       
     

    'We're not like New Orleans': official

     

       
     

    Anti-war protestors march in Washington

     

       
     

    Rural insurance urged for aged people

     

       
      Anti-war protestors march in Washington
       
      IAEA resolution clears way to refer Iran to Security Council
       
      Albright warns dark days ahead in Iraq
       
      Israel launches airstrikes against Hamas
       
      Shiites seek 'yes' vote on Iraq charter
       
      Hurricane Rita assaults Texas, Louisiana by Erwin Seba
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
      Related Stories  
       
    U.S. Feds mount broad aid campaign for Rita
       
    Rita causes flooding, fires on Gulf Coast
       
    Hurricane Rita assaults Texas, Louisiana by Erwin Seba
       
    No way out: Many poor stuck in Houston
      News Talk  
      Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
    Advertisement
             
    中文字幕日本在线观看| 国产中文欧美日韩在线| 蜜臀AV无码国产精品色午夜麻豆| 亚洲欧洲中文日韩av乱码| 2019亚洲午夜无码天堂| av无码人妻一区二区三区牛牛| 人妻少妇久久中文字幕 | 久久精品aⅴ无码中文字字幕不卡 久久精品无码一区二区WWW | 无码中文字幕日韩专区视频| 最近2019好看的中文字幕 | 亚洲最大av无码网址| 无码专区天天躁天天躁在线| 直接看的成人无码视频网站| 超清无码无卡中文字幕| av无码久久久久久不卡网站| 亚洲国产a∨无码中文777| 日本无码WWW在线视频观看| 人妻精品久久久久中文字幕69 | 日本按摩高潮a级中文片| 狠狠躁狠狠爱免费视频无码 | 国产 日韩 中文字幕 制服| 99精品一区二区三区无码吞精 | 内射无码专区久久亚洲| 久久精品无码专区免费东京热 | 少妇无码一区二区三区免费| 精品人妻无码区二区三区| 精品人妻无码专区中文字幕| (愛妃視頻)国产无码中文字幕| 色欲狠狠躁天天躁无码中文字幕| 中文字幕无码高清晰| 亚洲国产综合无码一区二区二三区| 黄A无码片内射无码视频| 精品一区二区三区无码免费视频| 无码视频在线观看| 人妻精品久久无码区| 99久久国产热无码精品免费| 久久激情亚洲精品无码?V| 精品一区二区无码AV| 亚洲国产精品无码久久九九 | 中文字幕亚洲无线码a| 区三区激情福利综合中文字幕在线一区亚洲视频1 |