300 still unaccounted for after Ike

GALVESTON, Texas, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- About 300 people, including 24 children, remain unaccounted for on the Gulf Coast of Texas since Hurricane Ike last month, recovery officials said.

Most of the missing come from the Bolivar Peninsula, including Galveston and the smaller towns of Crystal Beach, Port Bolivar and Gilchrist, CNN reported.

The first systematic search of the area was planned Thursday. The Laura Recovery Center in Friendswood, Texas, has been helping in the effort by compiling a list of those still unaccounted for.

The hurricane three weeks ago devastated the peninsula, although it was less destructive than predicted.

"We are hopeful most of these people will be found, that a lot of them were evacuated to shelters, or don't even know they've been listed as missing," said Bob Walcutt, the center's executive director. "We are hoping to get more answers as people call in or as school starts, but another week with this number could be a different story."

Traci Turner of San Diego said she has been going online trying to find out what has happened to her sister, Danielle Chapman, and her two nephews.

"I don't want to say it -- maybe they have been washed out, maybe they haven't -- maybe they are in a shelter," Turner said. "Either way, they are still missing."