Photo Coverage of the Ike Galveston Bolivar Peninsula Areas
 
NOAA Imagery posted for the coast of Texas after Hurricane Ike made landfall.



This imagery was acquired by the NOAA Remote Sensing Division to support NOAA national security and emergency response requirements. In addition, it will be used for ongoing research efforts for testing and developing standards for airborne digital imagery.

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/ike/

HURRICANE IKE: Claims Handling Information

TCAIS member companies want to extend our thoughts and prayers to the families impacted by Hurricane Ike this past weekend.

While it will take some time to pull our communities back together, we pledge to do our part to make sure those affected homeowners have as smooth an insurance process as possible.

Catastrophe teams have been deployed in the affected areas and Texas insurers are working around the clock to assist homeowners with the claims filing process. Given that access to some areas is restricted to emergency responders only, the extraordinary number of claims in the system and the significantly high call and e-mail volume, the claims process may take longer than usual, even as companies ramp up resources.

Claims Handling Contact Information
Policyholders with questions regarding their coverage for damage caused by a hurricane should call the number provided on their policies or contact their insurance agent. Those policyholders unable to get to their policies can contact special toll-free numbers set up by insurance companies. Specific information for TCAIS member companies is below. The Insurance Information Institute has a list of claim contact numbers for a number of insurance companies here.

Policyholders who have windstorm coverage through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) should advise their agent, who can file a claim on their behalf with TWIA. For more information, visit www.twia.org.

Flood insurance policyholders who don’t know who their insurer or administrator is can contact the National Flood Insurance Program (888-379-9531; http://www.floodsmart.gov). The only information required is your name, the state where you live and your zip code.
TCAIS Member Company Claims Contact

Information and Other Storm Resources

Allstate policyholders can begin the claim process by:
• Link to Allstate Claims Center
• Claim reporting availability online or by calling 1-800-ALLSTATE

Nationwide policyholders can begin the claim process by:
• Link to Nationwide's Online Catastrophe Center
• Call the Nationwide Claims Hotline (1-800-421-3535) or visit the online Claims Center

State Farm policyholders can begin the claim process by:
• Contact a State Farm agent by phone 1-800-SF-CLAIM (1-800-732-5246) or in person, if they are able
• Go to www.statefarm.com
• Information about what to do after the storm

USAA policyholders can begin the claims process by:
• Report a claim online at USAA.com
• If that option is not available, you can call the claims hotline at 1-800-531-USAA

Highways mostly unharmed by Ike
Hurricane's winds, however, damaged bulk of TxDOT traffic signals in area.

Southeast Texas highways, it appears, withstood Ike.

The traffic signals that hang over them, however, took a beating from the hurricane, Texas Department of Transportation officials said Monday. And the state of roads on the Bolivar Peninsula, which saw a devastating storm surge and has been cut off from detailed inspection by a washed-out bridge and damaged ferry terminals, won't be known until inspection teams reach the strip of land northeast of Galveston.

Monday, the Coast Guard had not yet authorized TxDOT to use the Bolivar Ferry to reach the peninsula.

The worst road problem, TxDOT spokesman Chris Lippincott said, continues to be man-made. Southbound Interstate 45, the main road from Dallas-Fort Worth, was clogged Monday afternoon.

"The gridlock being created by people trying to return to what officials have told them are uninhabitable areas is inhibiting relief efforts," Lippincott said. "Trucks with water and food are stuck in those jams, too."

There was no congestion on the Texas 71/Interstate 10 route from Austin to Houston, however, Lippincott said, and only sporadic backups on U.S. 290.

So far, it appears that the most notable road damage is the short bridge on U.S. 87 at Rollover Pass near the hamlet of Gilchrist. Without that bridge, the only way to reach Port Bolivar is by boat or helicopter.

"It is gone," Karen Othon, a spokeswoman for TxDOT's Houston district, said of the bridge, a short span over a canal.

The Interstate 45 causeway between the mainland and Galveston Island, contrary to early dire assessments, is structurally sound and has little or no pavement degradation, Othon said. The southbound lanes remain closed because officials don't want anyone other than emergency officials or others with special authorization to enter Galveston.

The flooding and other problems that had closed sections of I-10, including a matted carpet of seaweed and snakes near Orange, have been addressed.

Various other roads in Jefferson, Galveston and Orange counties remain closed, TxDOT said, either because they still are submerged or because officials don't want people using the roads to get to Bridge City, Kemah or other flooded areas. And TxDOT had bridge inspectors busy throughout Ike's swath checking the integrity of bridges large and small.

Almost all of TxDOT's traffic signals in the 14 counties of the Houston and Beaumont districts are either damaged, destroyed or missing, said Othon and Beaumont district spokesman Marc Shepherd.

"We have 240 signal heads," Shepherd said. "Every one of those is going to have to be either replaced or repaired."

Just 100 of the Houston district's 1,200 traffic signals were working, Othon said.

Shepherd said that highways in the Beaumont district had been cleared of debris, in many cases simply by shoving it to the side of the road with bulldozers. Crews will come back later to remove those piles.

Shepherd, who drove through much of Jefferson and Orange counties in the two days after Ike passed through, said that city and county streets and roads by and large appear to have also weathered the storm. But he cautioned against drawing any firm conclusions yet.

"You're really going to start seeing the problems with the roadways in the next several weeks after the waters recede and it starts drying out," Shepherd said.

TxDOT officials could not say Monday what the various cleanup and repair activities for Ike would cost.

The agency, like most of Texas, is hoping for federal reimbursement for some of what the storm will cost it. But for now, the agency will fix what needs to be fixed, and sort out the money later.

"It could affect some (construction) projects, but it's hard to predict right now," TxDOT spokesman Mark Cross said. "We certainly have to use what we have in the bank to repair the damage right now."

Lack of electrical power is slowing efforts to bring normalcy back to southeast Texas, hit hard by Hurricane Ike last week. Private companies operating in the area have thousands of people working around the region, but many neighborhoods remain in the dark almost a week after the storm passed through. VOA's Greg Flakus has more from Houston.

Electric line crews are at work in the hardest hit areas along the coast trying to restore downed lines, replace burned out transformers and reconnect communities to the part of the grid that is functioning. The area that will likely take the longest to recover is Galveston, which sits on an island of the same name at the mouth of the bay below Houston.

Thousands of Galveston residents and property owners want to return, but city officials say it may be weeks before they can do so safely. Aside from the power problem, water is a major concern.

Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc says there are pumps operating to bring clean water to the island from a mainland station, but the combination of usage and leakage from damaged facilities is more than the amount that can be brought in. He says the water situation is one of the major reasons why people should not return now.

"We don't have adequate water, at this point, for just taking a shower or flushing a toilet. We are still not there. We certainly do not have adequate water for fire protection. We do not have adequate water to supply the hospital, obviously. If you do not have a functioning hospital, it is not safe to come home," he said.

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas says the University of Texas Medical Branch, located in Galveston, is operating on a limited basis, but can only provide urgent care. She says anyone with a health condition, like heart disease, should be aware that they are at risk if they come to the stricken city.

The economic impact of Hurricane Ike goes well beyond the several billion dollars in damage it caused. The lack of electrical power has forced many businesses to remain closed and several hundred thousand people are unable to return to work as a result.

Oil refineries located in and around Houston are operating, some with their own emergency generators. The refineries are also working with less personnel because some workers are unable to travel because of lack of gasoline for their vehicles. People all around Houston are still waiting in long lines to fuel their automobiles at the few stations that are operating.

Another important economic asset in Houston is the port and the ship channel, with its many terminals where containers are unloaded for distribution to other parts of the country. Houston's port is the second-busiest in the United States under normal conditions, but Port spokesperson Argentina James, speaking to VOA by cellular phone, says limited electrical power is also hampering operations there.

"Generally, the port operations are being impacted because we are not operating with full electrical power. We are operating in spots with electrical power, which is a coordinated effort along the channel, in terms of our terminals," she said.

James says many port workers are at the facility trying to get things up and running, but they can do little until the private power company Centerpoint re-establishes service.

"We have been communicating very much with Centerpoint and we have been making our need known to the higher levels and everybody in between. So we believe they are working on it, it is just a matter of when," she said.

James says a large portion of the products imported into the United States that are available for purchase in food stores, hardware stores and other retail outlets come through the Port of Houston.

She says this port is also vital to the energy industry.

"We are the largest petro-chemical facility in the United States, second in the world, so when we are not able to bring ships in, it has an impact," she said.

James says there are close to 100 ships in the Gulf of Mexico near Houston waiting to unload their cargo. If the port cannot open full operations soon, she says some of them may have to be diverted to other U.S. ports.

Residents and business owners who hoped to go to Galveston to take a look at the damage to their homes and businesses won't get a chance to go in for at least a week.

"The look and leave is suspended," City Manager Steve LeBlanc said. "It's done. We're not going to have a look and leave. We have had meeting after meeting evaluating every option that we could think of. It's best, because of our situation, because of the infrastructure, to not implement it."

The city started the look-and-leave program on Tuesday but quickly rescinded it when there was an influx of traffic to the island.

"It didn't work," LeBlanc said. "We've looked at varying forms of that and we just don't feel at this point we can implement it, so it's over with."

Emergency workers, insurance agents and contractors who are helping with the city's restoration are being allowed into the city.

There is a bright side --- it may not be too much longer before residents can go back for good.

"I want you, the citizens, to know that I share your frustration, your anxiety about your homes and your property," Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said. "By staying away and being patient, you are making it possible for us to get you home in a week or so instead of the months it would take if the city's infrastructure were more overwhelmed at this point. As your mayor, I am committed to protecting your life and property and keep you safe. That is what I am doing. My commitment to you, the citizens of Galveston, is to get you back home as soon as possible."

The city has had some restoration of power and water. CenterPoint Energy said it would take 7 to 10 days for the core of the city to have power.

"The West End is a longer story," LeBlanc said. "The damage on the West End was very severe and I don't have a time frame to tell you."

Galveston schools will be back up and running shortly after residents are allowed to return.

"We've done a full assessment of all of our buildings," Superintendent Lynne Cleveland said. "We did have quite a bit of water damage, but overall they're in great condition. We feel like we can have them up and running three days after the city's infrastructure is in place."

Texas Continues Efforts to Rebuild Communities and Lives Power Restored to 1.46 Million; 75% Retail Fuel Stations Operational

Gov. Rick Perry today encouraged displaced Texans to remain patient as the state continues to make progress restoring its communities and readying its neighborhoods for residents’ safe return home. To date, power has been restored to more than half of the customers who lost electricity during Hurricane Ike. Additionally, the fuel industry is reporting that more than 75 percent of retail stations have resumed operations and nearly 100 percent of terminals are operating.

“I urge Texans to stay where they are as local leaders work around the clock to bring necessary utilities back online,” said Gov. Perry. “We will continue to worth with our federal, local and private sector partners to ensure Texans impacted by Hurricane Ike can begin the process of rebuilding their lives and communities.”

Power has now been restored to more than half the customers left without power since the storm. More than 1.46 million homes and business now have electricity, however nearly 1.41 million remain without power. To date, more than 20,000 personnel from across the nation are working with power companies around the clock to restore electricity. Visit http://www.puc.state.tx.us/files/ike.cfm, to learn more about which communities by zip code have restored power.

The Texas Education Agency is providing Education Service Centers in the Houston and Beaumont areas with $1 million each to share with the school districts they serve. The funds will be used to help impacted districts with immediate needs such as buying supplies, paying for fuel and paying overtime to staff involved in clean-up activities.

Please visit the featured websites for the following information:

* Hotel/motel tax waivers, suspending the collection of the state and local hotel and motel taxes for Hurricane Ike victims (http://www.window.state.tx.us/disaster/)

* Federal transitional housing assistance for Texas evacuees with inaccessible or uninhabitable homes (www.femaevachotels.com)

* Food stamp assistance - a new, shorter application is available to apply for special disaster assistance instead of the usual 12-page state application (http://www.hhs.state.tx.us/news/release/091908_HurricaneIke_FoodStamps.shtml)

I own a condo at the Victorian at 6300 Seawall Blvd. Can you supply me with any information as to the extent of damage at that complex? My 1 bedrm unit is on the first floor just above the parking garage on the east side of the complex and faces the Comfort Inn (Unit #3120). Any info would be appreciated. Thanks