Ike ravages Texas with massive flooding

GALVESTON, Texas: Gigantic hurricane Ike barreled into Texas, bringing a monster ocean surge, knocking out power and flooding coastal areas where tens of thousands remained holed up in their homes. The center of Ike, which made landfall at Galveston Island at about 0710 GMT, was just 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of Houston as of 1300 GMT, lashing the fourth largest US city and a major oil hub with rain and gale-force wind.

But officials said more than 100,000 residents of low-lying areas decided to ride out the storm despite warnings from the national weather service that a wall of water up to 20 feet (6.0 meters) high could spell "certain death."