Another Pre-Hurricane Exodus Begins

As Hurricane Rita, estimated to be the third strongest in U.S. history, approaches off the coast of Texas, the state government has declared a state of emergency and issued a mandatory evacuation order to about 1.3 million residents in southern Texas, including Galveston and Houston. Residents of Galveston, which lies along the hurricane`s expected path, moved to northern Texas in school buses on September 21 to avoid the disaster. On that day, Highway 45 leading to northern Texas was crowded with cars and evacuees.