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WASHINGTON - President Bush has declared a major disaster in Texas and Louisiana after Hurricane Ike flooded homes, knocked out power and caused a spike in petrol prices.
"This is a huge storm that is causing a lot of damage not only in Texas, but also in parts of Louisiana," Bush said from the South Lawn of the White House after he had a video conference with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and David Paulison, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Later, at a news conference in Washington, Paulison issued warnings to people in the path of the weakening storm.
"It's still a very dangerous time," he said. "It still carries a lot of wind, a lot of rain, the possibility of tornadoes and lightning. ... Just stay home. Just be patient, stay in your house and don't go out too early until it's safe to do so."
Ike ravaged southeast Texas and western Louisiana early Saturday. Thousands of homes and government buildings were flooded, roads were washed out, an estimated 2.6 million people lost power and several fires burned unabated. By afternoon, first responders in helicopters, airboats and vehicles were at work to save lives.
Bush spoke to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Houston Mayor Bill White on Saturday afternoon about the response to the storm, rescue efforts and plans to remove debris and restore power.
Later in the day, the president received an update from DHS Secretary Chertoff and FEMA Administrator Paulison.
Bush will meet again with Paulison and other officials at the White House on Sunday morning to discuss how the federal government can help in the response to what is now Tropical Storm Ike. Bush will make another public statement following the meeting.
On Wednesday, before the storm hit, the president issued an emergency declaration for parts of Texas and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts.
The president's disaster declaration Saturday meant federal aid would supplement state and local recovery efforts in 29 counties. Assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover property that was not insured and other programs to help citizens and business owners recover. Federal money also is available to the state government, eligible local governments and some private nonprofit groups on a cost-sharing basis.
"As this massive storm moves through the Gulf Coast, people in that area can rest assured that the American people will be praying for them and will be ready to help once this storm moves on," Bush said.
Though tens of thousands of people fled coastal communities, more than 100,000 ignored mandatory evacuation orders and stayed behind.
The eye of the hurricane missed the centre of Houston, as well as the largest concentrations of oil and gas refineries. Still, retail petrol prices jumped Saturday based on Ike's landfall in the region, which accounts for about one-fifth of the nation's petroleum refining capacity. Refineries, even if they were not damaged, may remain shuttered for days, some because of power outages.
Ike disrupted supply at the wholesale level in the Gulf Coast, where prices struck US$4.85 a gallon on Friday. The price spike is expected to result in higher prices at gas pumps across broad swaths of the US as the petrol makes its way from the wholesale market to retailers.
The Environmental Protection Agency temporarily waived certain petrol requirements for nearly a dozen states that are dependent on supplies from the Gulf Coast. The action means that the states do not have to use less-polluting blends of petrol, making it easier for them to use foreign imports on the US market.
"In the meantime, the Department of Energy and state authorities will be monitoring a petrol crisis so consumers are not being gouged," Bush said.
- AP
