GALVESTON, Texas, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Emergency crews Sunday were checking up on thousands of people in Texas who refused to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Ike, authorities said.
Ike, which made landfall Saturday as a Category 2 hurricane, was blamed for at least nine deaths in the United States, including three people whose bodies were pulled from debris in Galveston, Texas, CNN reported. Nearly 2,000 people who rode out the storm had been rescued in the Galveston area, a state official told the U.S. network Sunday.
Paul and Kathi Norton of Crystal Beach, Texas, told KHOU-TV in Houston they stayed in their home, which is perched on 14-foot stilts, because they overslept and their escape route was flooded. The water came up and their house started coming down.
"My husband made me wear a life jacket inside our house," Kathi Norton said. "Thank God for that, or I couldn't be here."
She said they dove out the door and "floated off." They were rescued by a National Guard helicopter.
The New York Times reported that more than 140,000 Texans along the Gulf Coast refused to heed evacuation calls.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said 57 helicopters were involved in the rescue effort, concentrating in the hardest-hit area of Galveston along the Gulf Coast, the Houston Chronicle reported.
David Paulison, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said it was too early to assess the full impact of the storm. He urged evacuees to remain where they are for at least another day.
The Chronicle said while the remnants of Ike were heading to the U.S. Midwest Sunday, flood warnings and watches remained in effect for most of southeastern Texas.
Amtrak reported the heavy rains were disrupting service across the Midwest, with some routes closed and other trains delayed. The rail service advised passengers to call Amtrak at 800-USA-RAIL to check on the status of their trains and alternate transportation through Sept. 15 for trains connecting with Chicago and through Sept. 18 on the route of the Amtrak Sunset Limited.
Affected Sunday service included: Lincoln Service & Texas Eagle, Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis; Wolverine Service, Chicago-Detroit-Pontiac; Pere Marquette, Grand Rapids-Chicago and Blue Water, Port Huron-Chicago; and Missouri Mule Service, Kansas City-Jefferson City-St. Louis.
The U.S. Energy Department said it had agreed to deliver emergency shipments from strategic oil reserves to ConocoPhillips and Placid Oil because of supply disruptions caused by Ike, as well as Hurricane Gustav earlier.
