Ike threatens tornadoes, further flooding

GALVESTON, Texas, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Hurricane Ike was downgraded to a tropical storm Saturday afternoon as it pushed inland along the U.S. Gulf Coast, the National Hurricane Center said.

After hitting portions of Texas and Louisiana, Ike lost strength, but was still producing maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, forecasters in Miami said. The storm's intensity was expected to diminish further as its center moves further inland, but forecasters warned of potential tornadoes and flooding.

At 8 p.m. EDT the center of the tropical storm was about 50 miles west-southwest of Texarkana, Texas, and Ike was moving toward the north-northeast at about 21 mph. The storm was expected to turn toward the northeast Saturday night and pick up forward speed Saturday night and Sunday.

Forecasters said Ike would likely move over western Arkansas Saturday night and then reach the Midwestern states Sunday as it weakens from tropical storm status.

Houston Mayor Bill White told residents Saturday to boil drinking water and to remain off roads as crews remove downed power lines and debris left by the storm.

"No matter how brave you feel, we don't need to be rescuing people who do not need to be on the roads," White was quoted by the Houston Chronicle as saying.

Meanwhile, emergency officials say it may be several weeks before power can be restored to nearly 5 million people left in the dark by Ike.

The hurricane slammed ashore Saturday, knocking out power in Houston and to coastal communities as far east as Cameron Parish in Louisiana, the Houston Chronicle reported, noting at least three storm-related deaths had been reported.