Thirty-one are dead and countless buildings are destroyed in the wake of Hurricane Ike, according to USA Today.
The 31 Ike-related deaths are being reported from nine different states.
USA Today reports, seven dead in Texas, one dead in Kentucky, six dead in Louisiana, two dead in Tennessee, one dead in Arkansas, four dead in Ohio, seven dead in Indiana, two dead in Illinois and four dead in Missouri.
At least three people have been pulled from wreckage in Galveston County, possibly four.
Galveston authorities are saying the death toll is not yet official, as they are still scouring the wreckage for more.
Rescuers in Galveston went door-to-door Saturday morning knocking on the homes of an estimated 20,000 people who remained back by will of their own, or failed to evacuate in time. Near 2000 people have now been rescued.
The city of Houston has placed a weeklong curfew on its citizens. Authorities are urging residents not to go outside between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless absolutely necessary.
The first fatality came when a 19-year-old man drowned in the water right off the coast of Corpus Christi after being swept out to sea when he and a friend went to the end of a 100-foot jetty to marvel at the waves created by the hurricane.
One of the waves claimed the man and launched him onto the rocks below.
Two bystanders tried to help, though one was seriously injured and airlifted to a nearby hospital.
It looks like two more died overnight
Sachin,
I am not disputing the information presented here by questioning it, I am in agreement with you, but as there are reports of the Coast Guard still looking for the Texas Teenager swept out to sea, and listing a Pinehurst woman as the first casualty, I am wondering if you could please provide your source that 19 year old Micheal Moxly was pronounced Dead at the time you wrote this article. I am aware he was swept out to sea yesterday aftenoon (Friday Sep 12) and the Pinehurst woman died early this Morning (Saturday Sep 13) I too have shared that the first victim in this was the 19 year old drowning in Corpus Christi. But based primarily on two reports of the same, one from a nationally broadcast cable news coverage WRAL out of Raliegh NC, last night on the 11 o’clock news, and the second in the form of this article to which I posted a link to on different blogs. I would greatly appreciate it if you could cite your source that He was actually pronounced dead as of timeframe in which you posted this article. Thank you.
–Steve
Hey Steve, I can’t post my own comment for some reason, so I’m adding to yours.
my source is CNN, they wrote on their CNN blog last night that he was pronounced dead. the blog has been updated since then, but here’s the link. It still says he died Friday.
http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/13/ike-death-at-3/
Thank you. I don’t know how much stock you place on people who report having visions and such, but I post under the name Steven Benjamin on the Mt. Carmel Discussion Board, and I have calling for prayer to Texas for weeks, specifically citing Orange and Corpus Christi. I re-emphasized this warning on September 9th. I have several of these types of events documented with online, in blogs and with Various Government Agencies. Tropical Storm Fay, Tropical Storm Cristobal, The Earthquake in Los Angeles in the last week of July 2008, 3 earthquakes to San Diego Cited by all cited in advance, indicating timelines, in 2002, 2007, and 2008 all warned to Homeland Security agenciy in San Diego. Twice cited 2 days in advance, and naming specific region on one occaision. On another a specific day…named one year in advance and well documented. Several floods, tornadic outbreaks, snow storms, other quakes and hurricanes, plane crashes and other events. I do not proclaim to be a psychic, But I do have visions. Feel free to visit the Mt. Carmel Discussion Board, I know this may sound like a little much, but I encourage you to visit the site, and just monitor it for a month or so, you’ll see. You don’t have to register or log in to the site to visit and view any of the comments posted. IT can be a lively bunch in there at times. Thanks again for your response in this matter, it has been most helpful.
–Steve