Devastating Hurricane Ike swamps Texas and Louisiana

Howling ashore with 110 mph winds, Hurricane Ike ravaged the Texas coast today, flooding thousands of homes and businesses, shattering windows in Houston’s skyscrapers and knocking out power to millions of people.

With roads still unpassable, it was unclear how many may have perished, and authorities mobilised for a huge search-and-rescue operation to reach the more than 100,000 people who ignored warnings that attempting to ride the storm out could bring “certain death”. Crews were waiting for the storm to pass to make rescues.