We're looking at a potential catastrophe if Ike hits near Houston

[Ex Lurker]

Most of Houston is well above sea level and won't flood like New Orleans. But consider the reality of five million people without electricity for up to a month. No traffic lights, no way to pump gas, keep perishable food, get drinkable water, or flush toilets. And the window of opportunity is fast closing for a mandatory evacuation. Most Houstonians will have no choice but to ride it out and deal with the aftermath. It's not going to be pretty, and the world will find out that the Katrina chaos was not unique to New Orleans and can happen in any urban area where the infrastructure breaks down.

[babylonsister]

1. Stop! I live in Houston, evacuations near the water start at noon,

and it's going to happen, but you're a downer. Who knows how fast necessities will get back on line? Pretty fast, I'm thinking. It won't be pretty, but no need to feed the fear.
And have a nice day your own self.

[Virginia Dare]

4. Take care, I hope Ike isn't as bad as he looks...n/t

[gademocrat7]

7. Please be careful

[Skidmore]

8. Stay safe, babylonsister.

Our thoughts are with you.

[babylonsister]

10. Thanks, everyone. I just listened to the local news; where I live, they're

recommending we 'hunker down' in our zone (not so close to the coast), so that's our intention. We do have boards for the windows, once they put the other half of the new ones in today (yes, we're in the midst of a construction project). You have to laugh, I'm thinking.

[OBrien]

18. We will "hunker down" also

Hubby and I live in the Heights. Not too worried about flooding, but we have an awful lot of tall trees.

[CherokeeDem]

9. I think that the OP was simply offering some concern....

and I believe we all hope that you and your neighbors are safe and do not suffer from this storm.

I recently read a comment from someone, I think from here on DU, when Ike was bearing down on the Keys...he said to my recollection, "Better to be prepared and get all the supplies in, take all precautions and look stupid to your neighbors than to do nothing and prove to them that you are stupid."

[babylonsister]

13. Concern is one thing that's welcome, but not fearmongering, especially

when no one knows where specifically this will hit.

[Midlodemocrat]

16. Please stay safe, babylonsister!

[kurth_]

2. Last time they evacuated in 2005, it took 8 hours to drive 5 miles

It was a horrific mess, thanks to Governor Good Hair. And gas was less than $2 then.

[SteelPenguin]

6. I have a friend who was in stop and go traffic for 30 hours

This time her office isn't closing to the last minute and isn't going to evacuate so they're just boarding up and gonna sit it out.

[SheilaT]

12. Part of why it was so bad

aside from the sheer number of people and cars, is that, as I understand it, they chose to evacuate those who had to go the farthest first. Think about how we normally exit an airplane. We don't have those in the back exit first, but those closest to the exit leave first. That's the way city evacuations should be done.

There's probably not a major city anywhere in this country that can be evacuated in anything under thirty hours, no matter how well organized the evacuation is.

[SteelPenguin]

19. Yeah Houston Is Massive

My friend is down by NASA so she basically gets screwed by being behind everyone else leaving the city. I think alot of people burned by that just aren't leaving this time.

[hobbit709]

11. That's because Goodhair's evacuation plan

told everyone to get on a road that is a parking lot even during normal rush hour. I have a friend that made from SE Houston to San Antonio in 3 1/2 hours-of course he didn't go anywhere near the giant parking lot.

[SteelPenguin]

3. It won't be THAT bad

Granted a hurricane hitting a major city is never fun and games or something to take lightly, and people there should evacuate for their own safety, it won't be anywhere near Katrina in Houston.

Now the shore areas where storm surges could reach 30 feet will be absolutely devastating to the coastal areas. That's going to be the worst of it, and it's going to be bad. Really bad.

[CherokeeDem]

5. Don't forget...South Florida Has Already Been Through This...

Many of my friends who live in S. FL went over 18 months before they were able to get back into their homes. Entire communities were destroyed and days passed, especially in hard hit Homestead, without any assistance from any government source. It is no wonder that the Katrina victims are still suffering and we can only hope that Houston and that area of Texas doesn't suffer the same fate.

[KatyMan]

14. One thing to keep in mind

We've been through this sort of thing before, we're above sea level (mostly), and the biggest danger, imo, is that we could be hit with tornadoes. It's gonna be bad for some parts of Houston, but it won't be anything like Katrina.

[bigscott]

15. my brother is in Sugarland

and it took him 6 hrs to go 3 miles for Rita - he turned around and went home and was OK. Good luck babylon - stay safe everyone!

Peace

[newfie11]

17. Anyone in Texas know if Freeport or Jones creek is being evacuated?

I haven't been back in years but used to live there. How high is that sea wall in Galveston?Stay save all!