Rita expected to flood Port Arthur, smash 6,000 homes

[UpInArms]

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Texas expects catastrophic damage from Hurricane Rita, including the flooding of the entire coastal city of Port Arthur, a senior state official said on Friday.

Speaking as the first winds of the massive storm were felt along the Gulf of Mexico coast, Jack Colley, the director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told reporters an estimated 5.2 million Texans would be affected, 6,000 homes would be destroyed and 16,000 people made homeless.

He said parts of southeast Texas, where tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, was expected to be hit by hurricane force winds for 16 straight hours. He expected the entire city of Port Arthur to go underwater with an 18- to 22-foot (6- to 7- metre) storm surge.

...short blurb...

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2005-09-23T151353Z_01_N23636153_RTRIDST_0_RITA-PREDICTION-URGENT.XML

(added link on edit :blush: )

[Maple]

1. link?

[Eugene]

2. Reuters link here

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-09-23T151642Z_01_EIC354872_RTRUKOC_0_US-RITA-PREDICTION.xml

[Straight Shooter]

3. I can't wait to hear Barb Bush's giggling comment about this.

"Well, a lot of these people weren't so well off, anyway, not by my standards. Many of them didn't travel much in their lives, so this is kind of a vacation for them, an adventure *giggle*. But, anyway, I've got to go now. My beautiful mind has been bothered enough with all this talk of storms and destruction and displaced people *giggle*."

[Maple]

4. Heh...thanx guys

[mccoyn]

5. A friend of mine evacuated North.

Its looking like he actually moved closer to the projected path. At least hes a lot farther from the coast and Glavestone bay.

[Comadreja]

6. Is that where several refineries are located

I used to live near Houston. I think Beaumaont and Port Arthur are refinery towns. They smelled like it, anyway.

[tammywammy]

7. They are refinery towns

My family's from that area. They evacuate yesterday, well everyone except an uncle that couldn't leave until 5 this morning (and he's bringing up his parents).

They're lucky because the traffic isn't nearly as bad as leaving Houston, but it's still taking double the normal time to usually get here.

[Hayduke]

9. Birthplace of the late great Janis Joplin

nm

[UpInArms]

10. info from a different article

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2005-09-23T163356Z_01_N23642225_RTRIDST_0_INSURANCE-RITA-MUNICIPALS-UPDATE-1.XML

excerpt:

Although Merrill said Houston's fate would be a "major swing factor," as its population accounts for 62 percent of the coastal area the report examined, Hurricane Rita is expected to flood Port Arthur, a major refining center located about 100 miles east of Houston.

[Saphire]

8. So sad. I grew up in Port Arthur. I hate to see it go.

[SodoffBush]

12. What's it like?

Never been there, which is not to say I don't care if it is destroyed.

[Saphire]

13. Refinery town...blue collar...left years ago, but it's still home.

[damntexdem]

11. I keep watching the satellite image of Rita.

And I swear that 'cane is is winking at us. That's it: Hurricane Rita is obviously a member of the Bush family! Maybe Barbara's eviler twin.

[Piperay]

14. Janis Joplin

I believe was from Port Arthur. :-(

[jayfish]

15. What About Lake Charles?

It looks like they are going to get blasted as well. It's a decent size city and they have the infamous waterborne casinos. They are also rather remote with a very small airport for relief missions. I wish our media could cover more than one thing at a time.

Jay

[jayfish]

16. One Of Those Casinos Has Reportedly Broken Free...

and is on it's way toward the Gulf.

Jay