HOUSTON - Rudy Rios and his wife Alicia not much speculated. As they realized that Hurricane Ike was headed to Galveston and Houston se iban to suffer the powerful winds from the cyclone, the couple marked the 311 and requested help to be evacuated.
"We live down the street in a trailita Telephone (mobile homes), so when we heard that there will be very strong winds do not think twice and we decided to go, it's best not to risk it," said Alicia.
"We have no car, so for us our only option was to go into these buses, we were told that lead us to Mesquite, Texas, but that's not really that important, it is far from Ike are happy," added Rios.
According to reports the National Hurricane Center, Ike made landfall on Friday night between 12 and the morning of Saturday, September 13, probably in western Galveston Island, a few miles southwest of Houston.
The couple Rivers are just two of hundreds of people were arriving on Thursday at the Convention Centre George R. Brown in downtown Houston to be registered and then transferred to different shelters in the state in the cities of San Antonio, Austin, Mesquite, Huntsville and Dallas. To do so, a large fleet of buses was sent to Houston to transport evacuees who had no means of transport.
According to figures from the emergency operations center in San Antonio, which coordinates much of the aid in the region, 1263 buses were hired to transport evacuees and many of them were sent to Houston and other parts of the coast texana.
Many others left the city in their private cars.
The public bus service within the city (Metro) will be suspended at 1 pm on Friday September 12 and will resume on Sunday depending on the damage resulting Ike.
In the city Space preparations of its residents were obvious: long lines to load fuel in supermarkets and on the highways I-45 North, 288 North and I-10 West.
These roads were traffic jams throughout the day. For this noon was declared a mandatory evacuation for the entire city of Galveston and nine postcodes Harris County, where he sits Houston (codes 77058, 77059, 77062, 77507, 77520, 77546, 77571, 77586 and 77598) . However, the heavy traffic was not at first reason enough for the authorities decide to open lanes contraflujo on major highways.
"We must take into account that people of the city that will remain in their homes must make their preparations and also require transit highways," said Bill White, mayor of Houston, during a press conference that the authorities on Thursday gave 11 from the Central Emergency Trans Star, in Houston.
The mayor made it clear that Houston is not an area shelters because the city is on the path of the hurricane.
"The people who come from parties that will be affected by Ike should not come to Houston seeking shelter because we are in the danger zone; should go to areas that are ready to receive them," said White.
The official asked the people who will stay to take necessary precautions to buy food and water for at least three days and to be prepared in case of losing electric service for several days.
Although the hurricane is projected to touch land between Friday night and Saturday morning, the effects of Ike were already evident around 4 pm on Thursday 11 and not necessarily by inclement weather: some gas stations in the price for a gallon gasoline reached $ 3.90 dollars when just the day before one could buy a gallon between $ 3.50 and $ 3.60.
Some people called the radio station AM 740 KTRH complaining that there were gas stations charging more than $ 4 dollars per gallon.
"They are taking advantage of the situation and we are evacuating people on the highway I-10 West, it is not possible for an overnight rise almost 40 cents gasoline," said a frustrated listeners. Some petrol stations have begun to collapse.
The system of airports in Houston announced that commercial flights would cease to exit at 2 o'clock in the afternoon of Friday's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and 9 am Hobby Airport.
Meanwhile, at the stadium Minute Maid Park during the game between local Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates, baseball and the few fans who came to the park learned that the parties on Friday and Saturday before the Chicago Cubs had been postponed .
"I wish that Ike does not quite good pace as we bring, but that's not really that important, this is a game and nothing else people need to be concentrated in caring for their families and take appropriate precautions," said the relay Jose Valverde.
The Astros were not the only ones who suffered the consequences of Ike: the party of the Houston Texans (NFL) was moved to Monday at 7:30 pm at Reliant Stadium.
The evacuees seeking refuge travel to other cities Texans. And those who remain are prepared to face heavy rain, winds and high tides in coastal areas.
The weekend will be dramatic in Houston. In Harris County, where Houston is located, lived nearly 4 million people. In the nearby counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend and Galveston, which will also be affected by Ike, living at least another million people.
Mandatory evacuation:
Brazoria County
Chambers County
Galveston County
Jackson County
Jefferson County
Matagorda County
Orange County
Voluntary evacuation
Hardin County
Friendswood
Pearland
In Harris County, people who are considered at risk have also voluntarily evacuated.
