Texas Makes Little Headway in Recovery From Ike

Houston- and Galveston-area communities continued to struggle post-Hurricane Ike today, the AP reports. Divers cleared debris from navigation routes into Houston and looked for bodies along the coastline; most of the city remains without power for a fifth day. On Galveston Island and the nearby Bolivar Peninsula—which still lack gas, power, and running water—officials struggled to keep residents from returning to their homes.

Yesterday, thousands of residents formed a huge traffic jam trying to get back into Galveston when officials allowed a “look and leave” opportunity for residents to check on their homes and businesses. On the Bolivar Peninsula, 250 locals refuse to leave, although officials say they must for cleanup efforts to safely begin. (More Hurricane Ike stories.)