8 dead, 2,000 people rescued in Texas

    
NEW YORK: Relief workers launched the biggest ever operation in parts of Texas which were devastated by Hurricane Ike -which left a trail of eight dead- rescuing by boat and helicopters about 2,000 people who had decided to brave out the storm.
    
More than four million people went without power and countless others are facing food, water and gasoline shortages, in the part of America which has the highest oil reserves.
     
Of the eight people dead, five were from Texas, two from Louisiana and one from Arkansas. At least three bodies were found in Galveston, an island city, which was the first to be hit.
    
But several areas still remained to be searched in the coastal towns of Texas which bore the brunt of the hurricane and the officials asked some two million who had evacuated from the affected areas to stay put until the conditions are safe for return.
    
That, some officials fear, could be weeks before all are back in their towns or whatever is left of them. These people face long stays in crowded shelters.
     
Officials said it could take weeks to restore power and damage could run into billions of dollars. Those who had fled were not sure what would they have when they return.
    
Several refineries in the path of the storm were shut down and reports quoting officials said it could take up to two weeks for all of them to start working again. But initials reports said that most of 15 refineries had not suffered any damage.

The coast guard said some offshore oil facilities were damaged but the extent was not immediately clear.
    
Ike struck the Texas coast on Saturday and left a swath of destruction as it moved inland to Houston and beyond and weakened.
    
Television pictures showed houses flattened, debris and rubble everywhere including on the highways. At some places, the howling winds had violently shook the heavy traffic lights, ripped of from their poles and thrown them several meters away. Hampering the rescue efforts were hundreds of fallen trees and power lines.
    
Giving first estimates, the New York Times said that insurance companies and State of Texas could be liable for up to USD 16 billion in damages. Other reports suggested that the damage could run upward of USD 18 billion.
    
Clean up operations continued in Houston, the fourth largest city, but it could take sometime before the oil city could return to normalcy. Windows of several high rise building were blown off and as the city was without power.
    
Though the federal government rushed food, shortages resulted partly from confusion whether State or Federal agencies were expected to distribute it.
    
The Times quoted Michael Chertoff, the secretary of homeland security, as saying it remained unclear when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would be able to begin distributing the aid, in part because Washington had originally expected state and local officials to take care of handing out the food.
    
Asked if the change in plans had slowed the delivery, Chertoff said, "I don't think it is a question of a significant delay."