Post by deb on Aug 31, 2005 9:11:06 GMT -5
Hurricane Katrina's refugees will come to Houston in bus convoy
Emergency officials announed Wednesday morning that there are plans to transfer at least 25,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees to the Houston Astrodome.
By The Associated Press
(8/31/05 - HOUSTON) — At least 25,000 of Hurricane Katrina's refugees, a majority of them at the New Orleans Superdome, will travel in a bus convoy to Houston starting Wednesday and will be sheltered at the 40-year-old Astrodome, which hasn't been used for professional sporting events in years.
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Rusty Cornelius, administrative coordinator for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, told The Associated Press that initial plans were being made early Wednesday.
"We are planning on being able to do a full shelter operation for 25,000 people," he said.
Cornelius said the refugees would be bused to Houston, but all would not necessarily be on the road at the same time. He said specifics of the transport and housing for the refugees were still being worked out with the Red Cross and state government officials.
"We want to accommodate those people as quickly as possible for the simple reason they have been through a horrible ordeal," he said.
Gov. Kathleen Blanco has said she wanted the Superdome -- which had become a shelter of last resort for about 20,000 people -- evacuated within two days, along with other gathering points for storm refugees. The situation inside the dank and sweltering Superdome was becoming desperate: The water was rising, the air conditioning was out, toilets were broken, and tempers were rising.
The Astrodome is the famed landmark that helped put Houston on the map four decades ago. It still stands but is dwarfed by Reliant Stadium, the Houston Texans newly constructed home.
The Astrodome opened in 1965, 10 years before the Superdome in New Orleans.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Emergency officials announed Wednesday morning that there are plans to transfer at least 25,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees to the Houston Astrodome.
By The Associated Press
(8/31/05 - HOUSTON) — At least 25,000 of Hurricane Katrina's refugees, a majority of them at the New Orleans Superdome, will travel in a bus convoy to Houston starting Wednesday and will be sheltered at the 40-year-old Astrodome, which hasn't been used for professional sporting events in years.
Shelter info
Discount offers
75 most recent local headlines
abc13.com slideshow archive
Rusty Cornelius, administrative coordinator for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, told The Associated Press that initial plans were being made early Wednesday.
"We are planning on being able to do a full shelter operation for 25,000 people," he said.
Cornelius said the refugees would be bused to Houston, but all would not necessarily be on the road at the same time. He said specifics of the transport and housing for the refugees were still being worked out with the Red Cross and state government officials.
"We want to accommodate those people as quickly as possible for the simple reason they have been through a horrible ordeal," he said.
Gov. Kathleen Blanco has said she wanted the Superdome -- which had become a shelter of last resort for about 20,000 people -- evacuated within two days, along with other gathering points for storm refugees. The situation inside the dank and sweltering Superdome was becoming desperate: The water was rising, the air conditioning was out, toilets were broken, and tempers were rising.
The Astrodome is the famed landmark that helped put Houston on the map four decades ago. It still stands but is dwarfed by Reliant Stadium, the Houston Texans newly constructed home.
The Astrodome opened in 1965, 10 years before the Superdome in New Orleans.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Latest local stories
Hospital patients from New Orleans to be moved to Houston
Hurricane Katrina's refugees will come to Houston in bus convoy
Hurricane Katrina's refugees will come to Houston in bus convoy
HISD allows evacuee sturdents to attend classes here
Four people hospitalized following serious accident
Evacuees in Texas feel stress, tension of situation
Local business icon lends helping hand to storm victims
Convicted Enron executive reports to prison