23 September 2005 Houston braces itself for Rita
More than a million people have been told to evacuate their homes in the Texas and Louisiana areas, in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Rita.
Rita is currently registering as a category five storm, with winds of up to 170 mph, and is expected to reach the shore of the mainland by the weekend.
On the island city of Galveston, 80 per cent of the 60,000 residents are said to have left, while the roads leading out of Houston are gridlocked, with petrol stations reported to be running out of fuel.
In preparation for the impact the hurricane will have, shelters catering for 250,000 people have been set up in safe areas such as Huntsville and Dallas.
Texas governor Rick Perry has also put 5,000 National Guard troops on alert, with a further 1,000 Department of Public Safety officers ready for action once the hurricane has passed.
Even though forecasters believe the storm will only be a category three when it reaches the coastline, after the disaster caused by Katrina, no chances are being taken.
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