Hurricane Rita Heading Toward Texas Coast As Major Storm

Hurricane Rita: The status so far

RITA MOVING INTO GULF OF MEXICO & INCREASING IN INTENSITY.

THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF.JACKSON.MATAGORDA. FORT BEND.WHARTON.HARRIS.BRAZORIA.LIBERTY & CHAMBERS COUNTIES.

CURRENT STORM INFORMATION.

LOCATION.
AT 4 PM CDT.THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
24.0 NORTH.LONGITUDE 82.4 WEST.OR ABOUT 850 MILES SE OF
GALVESTON TX.

MOVEMENT.
HURRICANE RITA WAS MOVING WEST AT 15 MPH. MAX SUSTAINED WINDS
WERE 100 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. A GRADUAL INCREASE IN INTENSITY IS
FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HRS.

EVACUATION INFORMATION.
FOR GALVESTON & BRAZORIA COUNTIES.VOLUNTARY EVACUATION IS IN
PROGRESS. MANDATORY EVACUATION OF NURSING HOMES & ASSISTED-LIVING
FACILITIES WILL BEGIN AT 6 AM WED MORNING. ON GALVESTON
ISLAND. BUSSES WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE ISLAND COMMUNITY CENTER ON
BROADWAY WED MORNING AFTER 10 AM FOR PERSONS WITH NO OTHER MEANS
OF TRANSPORTATION. IF THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE OF RITA'S TRACK
IN THE NEXT 24 HRS.A MANDATORY EVACUATION OF GALVESTON AND
BRAZORIA COUNTIES IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AT 6 PM WED EVENING.

VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS ARE ALSO IN PROGRESS THIS EVENING FOR LOW LYING
AREAS OF CHAMBERS COUNTY. HARRIS COUNTY. & THE CITIES OF
HOUSTON.SEABROOK & BAYTOWN

DECISIONS CONCERNING EVACUATIONS FOR OTHER COUNTIES & COMMUNITIES
WILL BE MADE EITHER LATER THIS EVENING OR ON WEDNESDAY.

SCHOOL & GOVERNMENT FACILITY CLOSINGS.
CLEAR CREEK.GALVESTON.FRIENDSWOOD & HIGH ISLAND ISD SCHOOLS
WILL BE CLOSED BEGINNING WEDNESDAY. GALVESTON COUNTY FACILITIES
WILL ALSO BE CLOSED BEGINNING WEDNESDAY.