HOUSTON (AP) - It may be a while before Texans who fled the fury
of Hurricane Ike will be able to go home again.

Evacuees, some with little cash and no idea of what the coming
days hold, have filled shelters across the state. Thousands of
people face long stays because their homes were damaged or
destroyed by the storm.

Even for those who still have a home to go to, Ike's 110
mile-per-hour winds and battering waves left thousands in coastal
areas without electricity, gas and basic communications. Officials
estimate it may not be restored for a month.

Many people who had ignored evacuation orders and tried to ride
out the storm had to be rescued. They now find themselves facing
indefinite stays at shelters in San Antonio and Austin.

The death toll from Ike stands at 30 in eight states.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)