Evacuations Begin In Texas Ahead Of Hurricane Ike

HOUSTON (AP) - A million people are being told to flee inland from the Texas coast as Hurricane Ike draws closer.

Ike remains a Category 2 storm with winds near 100 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center says while fluctuations in strength are possible over the next couple of days, it'll gradually gain strength.

It could be a Category 4 storm by the time it makes landfall early Saturday.

Four counties south and east of Houston have posted mandatory or voluntary evacuations. A hurricane watch stretches across much of the Texas coast, with Ike expected to hit between Houston and Corpus Christi.

The oil and gas industry is closely monitoring Ike, fearing damage to the very heart of its operations.

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