Our hearts go out to the families dislocated by the destruction wrought by Hurricane Ike. Going back now, however, isn’t the answer. The mayor of Galveston is literally begging residents to stay away, noting that the city cannot possibly provide a safe environment and is nearing a health crisis. Folks returning are only adding to that crisis.
From a USA Today reporter on the scene:
The city can produce only a tiny amount of clean drinking water, there is minimal electricity, standing water will soon breed hordes of mosquitos and the University of Texas Medical Branch – the island’s main medical center -is unable to care for seriously injured people.
