AP Photo/David J. Phillip
While Hurricane Ike is far from finished damaging Texas and Louisiana, the area of Galveston, Texas, has been hit hard by the massive monster that came from the Gulf of Mexico.. Ike's eye traveled over Galveston around 2:10am CDT Saturday.. Even at this current hour, rescue workers are being inundated with calls from people in distress--calls that cannot be acted on in many cases. Warnings for days called for "certain death" and for social security numbers to be written on arms, yet thousands of people in Galveston and other communities in the bulls eye stayed in an attempt to ride out the storm.. Gas prices are up to $5.50 in Texas and Florida.. many gas stations are closed.. The extent of the damage from Ike is still to be assessed.. Many are fearing what could have happened to the thousands of people that chose to ride out the storm.. The low-line communities were faced during the early morning hours with a wall of water, high storm surge, 110 mph winds and gusts to 130mph.. Reports from various news sources that 4 million plus are without power--and this power could be off for several weeks to come.. MORE: The AP reporting today,

"Massive Hurricane Ike ravaged southeast Texas early Saturday, battering the coast with driving rain and ferocious wind gusts as residents who decided too late they should have heeded calls to evacuate made futile calls for rescue"

Authorities are bracing for the worst.. The storm is poised to take turn towards Arkansas later today.. President Bush due to make news statement this morning.. John McCain today got a phone briefing from Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff ..And Obama is going to lay off of comedy: He was due to make an appearance tonight on the season opener of Saturday Night Live, that cameo canceled due to Ike's aftermath.. Developing..

Labels: Breaking news, hurricanes, Ike, Storms, Weather