Hurricane Ike Claims Eight Lives, Millions Without Power

AUSTIN, Texas, September 14, 2008 (ENS) - The center of Hurricane Ike slammed into Galveston, Texas at 2 am Saturday and moved inland across the Galveston-Houston area, knocking out power, water and sewer services, toppling trees and damaging buildings. The hurricane has claimed eight lives to date, five in Texas, two in Louisiana and one in Arkansas, officials said.

Three bodies were found today in Galveston, including one in a submerged vehicle near the airport. In Corpus Christi, the body of a man who was swept off a pier where he had gone to view the oncoming storm was found today.

At daybreak, the Texas Public Utilities Commission estimated that more than 2.4 million customers were without power, and the U.S. Energy Department says 400,000 others are without power in Louisiana and Arkansas. the rest

Nearly 2000 brought to safety in Texas

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In pictures: Hurricane Ike