GALVESTON, Texas — Massive Hurricane Ike ravaged southeast Texas early Saturday September 13, 2008, battering the coast with driving rain and ferocious wind gusts.
When daylight had arrived, damage was already considered extensive. Thousands of homes and government buildings had flooded, roads were washed out, 2.9 million people lost power and several fires burned unabated as crews could not reach them.
This probably will be the largest search and rescue operation that has ever been conducted in the state of Texas.
Several fires were burning untended across Houston and 911 operators received about 1,250 calls in 24 hours.
Medical Analysis: Natural disasters of this magnitude severely tax the search and rescue and medical personal to deal with fallout from this. Good job most people had been evacuated prior to the hurricane making land fall which minimized the human tragedy.
Legal Analysis: Businesses and building owners have to be extremely cautious when re-entering flooded buildings because of the risk of electrocution and increased risk for fires. Landowners would be liable if they prematurly opened their businesses without checking the integrity of the electrical system and somebody gets injured or killed as a result.