Some of Ike's missing may have washed away

[BridgeTheGap]

With no idea of numbers, authorities say final accounting may take years - AP

GALVESTON, Texas - The death toll from Hurricane Ike is remarkably low so far, considering that legions of people stayed behind as the storm obliterated row after row of homes along the Texas coast. But officials suspect there are more victims out there and say some might simply have been swept out to sea.

Exactly how many is anybody's guess, because authorities had no sure way to track those who defied evacuation orders. And the number of people reported missing after the storm, whose death toll stands at 17 in Texas, is fluctuating.

State search and rescue teams on Wednesday pulled out of Galveston after checking on almost 6,000 people and performing more than 3,500 rescues.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26765035