Gulf of Mexico

This past weekend, Hurricane Ike slammed into Texas as a category 2 hurricane. Despite warnings to leave the area or face “certain death,” many did not evacuate from towns and cities in the hurricane’s path. Rescue operations are currently underway.

It will be a few days before we know the cost and extent of damage. Expect to see some incredible imagery from NASA and the USGS in the next few weeks showing drastic changes to the coastline and surrounding terrain from this hurricane’s awesome power. [Update: (09/16/2008) - The USGS has released before and after photos of the Bolivar Peninsula. See them here. ]

Here are some photos from the city of Galveston itself.

Source: AP

Source: AP

Source: Unknown

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U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Tom Atkeson

Source: Unknown

Source: Unknown

Source: U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Wally Bacio

Source: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. James L. Harper Jr.

Source: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. James L. Harper Jr.

Source: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Corey Parrish

Source: U.S. Navy

U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Luigge Romanillo

Source: Unknown

For the latest news about Hurricane Ike and Galveston, follow TrackingIke on Twitter.

More Information

• Hurricane Information Center

Currently, Hurricane Gustav is approaching the Gulf of Mexico and the current projections show that Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas are potentially threatened.

Exactly three years ago, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana.

We wrote about the threat to New Orleans and immediate aftermath.

Here’s to hoping that New Orleans and the surrounding areas are spared from significant damage (and any area really).

Let’s hope the government’s response this time is quicker and more efficient. Best of luck to those in harm’s way.

Hurricane Katrina is currently moving towards New Orleans and expected to make landfall on Monday night as either a category 4 or 5 storm. Due to the extensive network of levees that protect the city from the Mississippi River, major flooding is expected. Here is an older article that discussed scenarios for New Orleans if it was ever hit by a major hurricane.

People have known for centuries that New Orleans is a risky spot — the biggest river in North America wraps around it; and most of the land is below sea level. But researchers say they’ve been learning just how grave the problem is, only in the last few years. And they say the city and the nation aren’t prepared to handle it. To begin to understand why, we clamber up the levees along the Mississippi River. Our guide is Oliver Houck, who runs the environment program at Tulane University Law School. Houck describes it, “There’s no place in the world that has a levee system that is as extensive as this one—it’s a monster system.”