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Edouard hits Texas coast with strong wind, rain
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-08-05 20:36 In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a statewide emergency. Cameron Parish told up to 3,000 residents to evacuate low-lying coastal areas prone to flooding. Vermilion Parish, also in western Louisiana, advised people in mobile homes or FEMA trailers along the coast to leave.
About 50 miles northwest of Galveston, Houston officials asked residents to safely store large, heavy items outside their homes to prevent flying debris. Edouard was not forecast to bring the 100-mph winds to Galveston that punished another tourist hotspot in Texas, South Padre Island, when Hurricane Dolly tore off roofs and knocked down signs last month. Since Dolly, South Padre has regained electric power but its four biggest full-service hotels remain closed as well as the convention center in the community about 260 miles down the coast from Galveston. The Texas coast counts on tourism this time of year. About 50 million visitors to the Texas coast spent about $15 billion in 2006. Edouard also forced oil and gas companies in the Gulf to evacuate workers from 23 production platforms and six rigs, according to the US Minerals Management Service. The service said there are 717 manned platforms and 125 operating rigs in the Gulf. Marathon Oil Corp. temporarily shut down a refinery that processes about 76,000 barrels of crude per day in Texas City, about 10 miles north of Galveston. The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port temporarily suspended the offloading of tankers in the Gulf but said customers weren't affected because of pipeline deliveries. |
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