Officials have called for mandatory evacuations ahead of Hurricane Rita. The order is for every one living in Galveston County.
People in medical centers and nursing homes to start at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Residential evacuations start at 6 p.m. The county's evacuation plan calls for the evacuation of residents in phases.
Several of the cities within Galveston County had called emergency sessions of their councils and commissions Tuesday evening to make declarations of emergency. Under an emergency declaration the mayors of the cities can impose a curfew, restrict access to areas of the community that may suffer storm damage as well as order the removal of debris even from private property.
All of the school districts in the county canceled classes and extra curricular activities until further notice. Texas A&M-Galveston, College of the Mainland and Galveston College also canceled classes starting Wednesday. UTMB announced it too had canceled classes until at least Monday.
The petrochemical industries in Texas City were also making plans for the storm. BP officials had suspended all non-essential operations and directed work to secure the company’s refinery and chemical plant.
Dow, Valero, Marathon and Sterling Chemicals all reported similar actions. None indicated if they planned to shut down any units or operations within their facilities.
People in medical care and other facilities needing special help are scheduled to begin evacuations at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Zone A of the evacuation plan that includes the southern portions of the county including Galveston Island, Tiki Island and Bayou Vista begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Zone B of the plan that includes the central portions of the county’s mainland as well as the bay front communities of Kemah, San Leon and Bacliff are to start evacuation at 2 a.m. Thursday.
Zone C that is the northern reaches of the county including League City and Friendswood will start evacuation at 12 p.m. Thursday.
Tropical force winds from Hurricane Rita are expected to hit the county by early Friday.
Galveston County residents began preparations Monday evening for the first major storm to strike since Hurricane Alicia in 1983.
The line at the Murphy USA gas station at FM 518 and State Highway 146 had long lines at 11 p.m. Monday.
Long lines again that started at 7 a.m. were the scene at the Kemah Hardware store along State Highway 146 where owner Jim Clawson said it was the busiest he has ever seen his business in the 46 years he has operated.
“There’s no comparison, and I’ve seen plenty of storms,” he said. “People are taking this one serious.”
As is Clawson, who owns a waterfront home in Kemah.
“If it’s a Category 3 or bigger, I am out of here,” he said. EVACUATION ZONES and main routes
ZONE A – 6 PM Wednesday, Sept. 21
Galveston Island (I-45) Jamaica Beach (I-45) Tiki Island (I-45) Bayou Vista (Hwy. 6) Clear Lake Shores (Hwy. 146) Kemah (Hwy. 146) San Leon-Bacliff-Bayview (Hwy. 146) Bolivar Peninsula (Hwy. 87 and Hwy. 124)
ZONE B – 2 AM Thursday, Sept. 22
Texas City (Hwy. 146) La Marque (I-45) Hitchcock (Hwy. 6) Dickinson (I-45)
ZONE C – 12 NOON Thursday, Sept. 22 (Use Highway 6)
League City (I-45, Hwy. 146) Friendswood (I-45) Santa Fe (Hwy. 6)
