No available shotlist




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THOUSANDS FLED THEIR HOME ON WEDNESDAY ON THE SOUTHERN TEXAS COAST, BECAUSE OF FLOODING CAUSED BY HURRICANE CINDY. THE DYING STORM BROUGHT TORRENTIAL RAIN TO LOW-LYING AREAS SOUTH OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. RAINFALLS UP TO TWO FEET WERE RECORDED IN SOME AREAS.

HARDEST HIT WERE THE HIGHLY POPULATED INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES IN JEFFERSON AND ORANGE COUNTIES ON THE BORDER BETWEEN TEXAS AND LOUISIANA. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT 3,500 PEOPLE HAD BEEN GIVEN SHELTER BY RELIEF AUTHORITIES AND MANY MORE HAD SOUGHT REFUGE WITH RELATIVES AND FRIENDS FURTHER INLAND. THE COUNTRYSIDE IS EXTREMELY FLAT AND LOW LYING, LEAVING IT HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO FLOODING.

RESCUE WORKERS LABORED THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO SAVE AN IMPORTANT LEVEES NEAR PORT ACRES. THE LEVEE, OR DIKE, WAS BUTTRESSED BY SANDBAGS WHICH WERE ALSO USED TO FILL BREACHES MADE BY THE FLOOD WATERS.

AUTHORITIES HAVE ESTIMATED DAMAGE OF NEARBY GBP700,000 TO THE AREA'S RICE CROP.