Hundreds wait at the Island Community Center in Galveston, Texas to board buses to evacuate from Hurricane Ike on Thursday Sept. 11, 2008.
Customers wait in line to enter a Home Depot store as another drives off with plywood loaded on the roof of his car September 11, 2008 in Houston, Texas. The station and many stores in the area were busy as residents scramble to buy supplies in front of Hurricane Ike which is expected to hit the region sometime before Saturday morning, September 13.
A kayaker rides the waves generated by Hurricane Ike September 11, 2008 in Galveston, Texas. Hundreds of thousands of people on the Texas coastline have reportedly moved inland as Ike moves toward the coast.
Residents of Edgewater retirement home line up to board an evacuation bus in advance of Hurricane Ike September 11, 2008 in Galveston, Texas. Hundreds of thousands of people on the Texas coastline have reportedly moved inland as Ike moves toward the coast.
This September 11, 2008 NASA satellite handout image show Hurricane Ike at 1902 GMT. Thousands of people fled the Texas Gulf coast Thursday as deadly Hurricane Ike bore down, growing in power after ravaging Cuba and the Caribbean. President George W. Bush declared an emergency in Texas, freeing up federal aid to boost local efforts. Governor Rick Perry, who ordered special disaster preparations, said state officials had begun evacuating ill, elderly and poor residents. At 0900 GMT Thursday, Ike's center was located about 995 kilometers (620 miles) east of Brownsville, Texas, and was moving northwest at nearly 15 kilometers (nine miles) an hour. Ike packed winds of near 160 kilometers (100 miles) an hour, with higher gusts, though it is expected to gain strength over the next 24 hours as it travels over the warm open waters of the Gulf. The Hurricane Center described Ike as "a large tropical cyclone" with hurricane force winds extending outward up to 185 kilometers (115 miles). Earlier this week, Ike left a trail of destruction as it raged over Cuba and killed more than 100 people across the Caribbean.
Eugene Weiler surfs a large wave generated by the approaching Hurricane Ike at St. Andrews State Park on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Panama City Beach, Fla.
The surf moves closer to a home in Surfside, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. Hurricane Ike is expected to strike the Texas coast this weekend.
The surf moves closer to a home in Surfside, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. Hurricane Ike is expected to strike the Texas coast this weekend.
The surf moves closer to homes as a haze hangs in the air in Surfside, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. Hurricane Ike is expected to strike the Texas coast this weekend.
A surfer gets some tube time thanks to a wave generated by Hurricane Ike at St. Andrews State Park on Wednesday, Sep. 10, 2008 in Panama City Beach, Fla.
Traffic lines Interstate 45 leaving Houston as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 in Conroe, Texas.
Eric Hansen, 90, is framed by the remains of his beach front home watching the white capping waves and shifting sands blow across the road by the advancing winds of Hurricane Ike, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 in Biloxi, Miss. Although Hansen, a retired merchant sailor, lives in a nearby Katrina cottage, he prefers to spend his afternoons sitting on the remains of his porch, watching the waves and traffic. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Mississippi State against Southeastern Louisiana during the NCAA Division 1 college football game Saturday evening, Sept. 6, 2008 in Starkville, Miss.
Shrimp boats are secured as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 in Kemah, Texas.
Beaumont Fire and Rescue authorities assist evacuees onto waiting busses as they prepare to depart for destinations throughout Texas due to the impending landfall of hurricane Ike, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Beaumont, Texas.
Aerial view of flooded village Surgidero de Batabano, 60 km south of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of flooded village Surgidero de Batabano, 60 km south of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of destructed village in Pinar del Rio, -150km west of Havana-, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of destructed village in Pinar del Rio, -150km west of Havana-, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of a flooded farm in Pinar del Rio province -150km west of Havana-, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
People wait to be taken back home, in a temproray shelter in Pinar del Rio province, 150km west of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
People wait to be taken back home, in a temproray shelter in Pinar del Rio province, 150km west of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of flooded fields in Pinar del Rio province -150km west of Havana- on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of a flooded village in Pinar del Rio province -150km west of Havana-, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of flooded fields in Pinar del Rio province -150km west of Havana-, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Aerial view of flooded village Surgidero de Batabano, 60 km south of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Locals wave from outside their destroyed houses in Pinar del Rio, -150km west of Havana-, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Locals are driven back home from shelters, in Pinar del Rio province, 150km west of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Traffic lines Interstate 45 leaving Houston as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 in The Woodlands, Texas.
Locals are driven back home from shelters, in Pinar del Rio province, 150km west of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
This satellite image released by NOAA shows Hurricane Ike at 4:15pm EDT Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. Cars and trucks streamed inland and chemical companies buttoned up their plants Thursday as a gigantic Hurricane Ike took aim at the heart of the U.S. refining industry and threatened to send a wall of water crashing toward Houston.
This satellite image released by NOAA shows Hurricane Ike at 9:30pm EDT Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. Cars and trucks streamed inland and chemical companies buttoned up their plants Thursday as a gigantic Hurricane Ike took aim at the heart of the U.S. refining industry and threatened to send a wall of water crashing toward Houston.
This satellite image released by NOAA shows Hurricane Ike at 9:30pm EDT Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. Cars and trucks streamed inland and chemical companies buttoned up their plants Thursday as a gigantic Hurricane Ike took aim at the heart of the U.S. refining industry and threatened to send a wall of water crashing toward Houston.
People wait for transport to return home, outside a temproray shelter in Pinar del Rio province, 150km west of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
Children play in a shelter in Pinar del Rio province, 150km west of Havana, on September 11, 2008. As the deadly hurricane Ike ploughed towards Texas, it left a trail of devastation across Cuba, including five dead, 2.6 million evacuated and thousands of buildings, crops and power cables destroyed.
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