where is hurricane IKE now ,and how much damage is it costing ?please keep me posted as i live in canada.its suppose to hit in ontario some time next week i'm in nova scotia, halifax ns is to the left of me and the bay of fundy is 16 miles to the right side of me

How are people in Silsbee, TX, just north of Beumont,TX.  My uncle and his family live there and they didn't evacuate.  I haven't been able to get throught to them. We live in central Illinois south of Springfield, it hasn't stopped raining all night and our basement has water pouring in everywhere.

The real question is how many times will the rest of us pay for the rebuilding of homes (in highrer insurance rates) along beaches that are flood prone?   These houses should never have been allowed to rebuild and they should not be rebuild again.   Nature will take its course and mankind must learn to respect that.    

Wouldn't you think by now that most people would've learned the lesson from the destruction of Katrina?  When are people going to realize these storms are deadly.  You are putting themselves at risk as well as the emergency workers lives at risk too.  Gov't should take a stand and say "you were given a chance to leave and you didn't listen."

People forget that Houston had one of the largest mass evacuations of a major U.S. city ever in 2005, as Rita approached inthe wake of Katrina. 5-6million people flooded EVERY highway, byway and roadway within 200 miles of Houston...45 & 10 were opened to one way traffic on both sides... millions ran out of gas as stations emptied their tanks...restaurants were out of food.   Given the choice to evacuate or ride it out... I will ride the next major storm out...wherever I am.  The alternative of living like a refugee on an Interstate HWY versus staying at home and maybe having part of a storm hit... I'll take the latter..and stay put at home!

These people were warned repeated and had ample time and government resources to leave before the storm hit. It was clearly their decision to ignore warnings.  Our tax dollars shouldn't be wasted to rescue them.. Help with clean up, OK.  But rescue no!

Come ON MSNBC!

"This is about 45 minutes south of Galveston." is open
ocean! What happened. Did you ask George?

Your coverage has been good but seems to be from one location only--by the seawall and by the beachfront.  No one seems to be covering the downtown area of Galveston! Since Galveston is not a huge city, I wonder if it is that difficult to get the few miles to the district where large buildings are. Would love to see you do a story from the historical district or medical center district, etc.

I own a vacation home on the west beach in terramar subdivision.  Please tell me why there has been no video of the homes like when Rita hit.  The media via helicopter videoed all homes on coast where you could a least view any damage.  Knowing something whold keep me from wanting to find a way into Galveston.

We have seen numerous images of Surfside, Houston, and other areas surrounding Galveston.  Why haven't we been able to see images of Galveston's west end?  We know helicopters have been up but still, there are no images.  I live, along with numerous friends and family, on the west end.  We would rather see the damage than continue to speculate and wonder.  These are our homes.  Can we please just get some information and pictures of what has happened to them?

Any news about the damage to Jamaica Beach?

Why is it that I always see black faces looking for shelter.  It is a disgrace that these people would always have to be the ones in need.  What about the little ones.  These people have had enough.  Is our government not for them as well?  Why are impoverished people always hurt?  Don't they hurt enough?  What is wrong with this government, President Bush, why were you never impeached?  How do you justify your salary? What have you done for the good people of the united states, black or white yellow or red.  You should be ashamed!!!!! Go Obama make it right

I was born and raised in Houston, and my heart goes out to those who lost property in the storm. Those who chose to stay after the evacuation orders came out are fools. They ought to be billed by the US Coast Guard or whoever else comes to rescue their sorry behinds. Evacuation orders began 3 days before the storm made landfall - there is no excuse.

Advance warning was given to "get out."  Can those who stayed, but could have gotten out, and had to be rescued be billed for rescue efforts?  My brother, years ago, was billed by the Red Cross for assistance he received in Arizona when his trailer floated away during a flood because he was deemed financially able to "recover."  Do they still do this?  If not, they should in cases where they can financially "recover."  Think of the millions that might be saved.        

I hope the Texas government has the good sense to NOT redevelop Galveston.  How many times has this happened in areas hit by hurricanes??  You get warnings DAYS in advance.  Those who disobey a mandatory evacuation order should be left to fend for themselves.  MANDATORY: authoritatively ordered; obligatory; compulsory, (Law)permitting no option; not to be disregarded or modified.  In California, we have programs to map areas of high shaking, possible landslides, and liquefaction.  These areas, if allowed to develop, can do so only after a thorough site investigation and higher building standards.  We get NO WARNING whatsoever, but probably have less damage than areas of hurricanes. There are webites and publications for earthquake readiness telling people in high shaking areas to stock up, have a battery operated radio, food and water FOR AT LEAST 3 DAYS, plus blankets, etc. I'd throw in an EPIRB http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPIRB (personal GPS locator, just in case you're alive and buried). Here's a handy list for hurricanes from the CDC.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPIRB

Why is it impossible to find out anything about damage in Galveston?  It seems like once the hurricane left so did the media. You would think that they would have shown a few homes or Moody Gardens as they ran for comfort.

Deanna, Sac, CA, Yes...hurricanes have days of warning...you just have no guarantee of exactly where it's going to hit. It can change course at the last possible hour leaving the evacuated area relatively untouched and devastate an area that was expecting minimal damage. It can trap those who thought they were in the clear.
People in hurricane alley spend the season prepared. You just don't have a clue as to how bad something like this is. It's been 3 days, and no word out of Galveston...so how do you think food and water supplies are doing? If news crews can't get in, do you think aid can?
Mandatory evacuation means "Emergency personel will not be able to assist you until after the storm has passed and danger has subsided"
In other words, you are on your own. Many people know this. Have lived there all their lives. Are prepared for it. Those who evacuated...doesn't matter...they still lost everything. It doesn't matter if you evacuate or not you still lose everything.
Stop being so judgemental.

Dear Sharron in Sarasota, FL...
EVERYONE that has been displaced by Hurricane Ike is seeking shelter. Not just black people - all the people! There are just as many white folks without running water, food, and the use of a toilet as there are black folks. Why do some individuals set out to make every crisis or tragedy that happens - a racial or political issue? Give it up already. If you are in fact, so concerned...why dontcha just hop on a plane and come help ALL of those who've been displaced or inconvenienced by the Hurricane? You could start with the elderly - as I see it they are the ones who are the least capable of helping themselves!

DID ANY ONE SEE THE HOUSE ON I THINK INSIDE EDITION 9-17-08 ON OR NEAR GALVESTON ISLAND THAT DOESN'T BELONG THERE, IT CAME FROM ACROSS THE BAY AND LOOKED LIKE THE BAY WAS 1/2 MILE OR SO, INCREDIBLE THE STRENTH OF MOTHER NATURE, AND THE HOUSE WAS STILL ERECT SITTING ON THE ISLAND SHORE. WOW

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):