Another hurricane. This one is getting too close for comfort. I got an automated call from the superintendent of the school district that we will be released tomorrow at noon and then we are off on friday. i am sure we will have to take care of some things at work tomorrow to try to keep all the childrens files safe, electrical equipment etc. Me and Thomas will later on discuss if we will evacuate. The main thing is to see what the mayor says. If its mandatory we will have to. But nobody worry please. We will be safe. I will tell you more as soon as i know more.
From the newspaper:
Residents of low-lying areas asked to leave
By Leigh Jones
The Daily News
Published September 10, 2008
Officials are calling for a voluntary evacuation of flood-prone areas all over Galveston County ahead of Hurricane Ike.
Residents of the Galveston’s West End, Jamaica Beach, the Bolivar Peninsula, Tiki Island, Kemah, Bayou Vista, Clear Lake Shores and low-lying areas in and near Bacliff are asked to secure their property and consider waiting elsewhere for Ike to pass.
State officials will close the Bolivar ferry at 11 p.m. Thursday.
The storm, which was of Category 2 strength about 2 p.m., is expected to make landfall early Saturday morning near Matagorda Bay — about 100 miles from Galveston.
But with a wind spread of 300 miles, island residents are sure to feel the effects, Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said.
High winds and tide
Officials late Tuesday said they did not expect to call for any kind of evacuation. But after listening to late night reports of rainfall and tide levels, repeated again Wednesday morning, the city’s leaders decided to call the voluntary evacuation, said Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc.
By noon Friday, Galveston likely will be buffeted by tropical storm-force winds, about 40 mph, LeBlanc said.
The wind will strengthen through the afternoon to as high as 60 mph, he said.
On Saturday morning, as Ike makes landfall, wind speeds on the island could top 74 mph, hurricane strength, LeBlanc said.
At the same time, the storm surge on the West End could be dramatic, inundating the low-lying area with flooding, he said.
Impassable roads
Forecasters expect tide levels to be between 4 feet and 8 feet, which will make some roads on the West End impassable.
Roads in Jamaica Beach start going underwater with tides of just over 3 feet, Mayor Vic Pierson said.
Officials did not expect heavy property on the West End damage but residents who stay could be trapped in their houses for a while if the roads flooded, LeBlanc said.
High winds could cause power outages, and the city might have to shut down a portion of the water system if it gets damaged, he said.
LeBlanc asked West End residents to voluntarily shut off their own water supply at the meter, to help prevent the system from filling up with floodwater if the pipes were damaged.
Before shutting off the water, residents who intended to ride out Ike should fill containers with as much water as they thought they would need during and after the storm, he said.
Residents who have medical conditions or other circumstances that would make isolation dangerous should strongly consider leaving, he said.
Storm conditions are expected to last for at least 10 hours.
Emergency declaration
Galveston city council voted unanimously to declare an official state of emergency at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, giving Thomas the authority to act on their behalf if need be.
The declaration does not mean that officials expect an actual disaster, Thomas said. But it gives the city the right to ask the federal government for reimbursement for any repairs necessary after the storm.
High tides likely will cause some erosion on West End beaches, Thomas said.
Officials from Jamaica Beach and Galveston County also declared official states of emergency on Wednesday.
Meetings canceled
Officials have no plans to close city hall ahead of Hurricane Ike, but the Wright-Cuney recreation center will close on Friday.
Thursday’s city council workshop meeting, scheduled to begin at noon, is canceled. The council will hold its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. to vote on several items that cannot be delayed.
The city does not have any plans to stop operating Island Transit buses, although the routes could be affected by street flooding, LeBlanc said.
Areas behind the seawall that usually experience street flooding — Heards Lane, Hollywood Heights, Harborside Drive and some parts of downtown — likely will see some short-term flooding as the storm passes by, LeBlanc said.
Other closures
State officials will close the Bolivar ferry at 11 p.m. Thursday.
School districts in Galveston County plan to announce later today whether they will close school early.
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