Coastal Rescuers Issue Final Plea to Flee

Rescuers made a final pass through the coastal community of Surfside Beach, Texas, today, urging residents to get out while they can. Hours before massive Hurricane Ike even made landfall, half the town was underwater, the Houston Chronicle reports. Ike's eye is expected to pass near Galveston tonight or tomorrow, and remains on track to hit Houston.

"This will be our last sweep though here," said the fire chief of Surfside Beach, who drove around town in a dump truck to pick people up. "We won't be back until the storm has passed." At least four people took the ride. Despite official warnings of unprecedented storm surges and even "certain death" in some areas, one 47-year-old said he's staying. "It's just water, man," he said.
(More Hurricane Ike stories.)