Tracking Rita
1:47 p.m. EDT: Rita, dumping rain inland along the Louisiana-Texas border, is downgraded to a tropical storm. The National Hurricane Center reports sustained winds of about 65 mph.
12:59 p.m. EDT: The Houston Chronicle reports that thousands of evacuees are returning home to the Houston area despite official pleas to stay away even though the region was spared the worst of the storm. State and local officials are concerned about a repeat, in reverse, of the massive traffic jams a few days ago as an estimated 2.5 millions residents fled the region.
12:03 p.m. EDT: CNN confirms report of an apartment collapse in Beaumont, Texas. A local television news station reports residents may be trapped in the rubble.
Noon EDT: Gannett News Service reports that Lake Charles, La., suffered what may be some of the heaviest damage inflicted by Hurricane Rita. The riverboat casino Harrah's Pride broke free from it moorings, along with barges. Gannett also reports one section of town submersed in 10 feet of water. Like much of the region, the city is without power.
11:59 a.m. EDT: As of late morning, the computer modeling from Kinetic Analysis, a company that projects hurricane damage estimates for energy production, predicts that about 67 percent of production will suffer less than 10 days of disruption, 20 percent will suffer 10 to 30 days of disruption, and 15 percent will suffer 30 to 60 days of disruption, an improvement from yesterday. For natural gas production facilities, the numbers are 58, 28, and 18 respectively. Another positive development: The easterly shift of the weakening storm puts only five oil refineries in danger, down from 15 based on yesterday's projections.
11:35 a.m. EDT: The Austin American-Statesman reports that fuel trucks from the military and private companies, dispatched to aid stranded motorists, were often equipped with nozzles too large for passenger vehicles. The trucks are normally used to fill military and commercial vehicles as well as supply fuel to gas stations. The snafu caused further delays for evacuees and added to the mounting frustration as more than a million people fled the Gulf coast.
11:23 a.m. EDT: CNN reports that in Jefferson County, Texas, which includes Beaumont, the sheriff's office is responding to the possible collapse of an apartment building.
11:22 a.m. EDT: Lt. Gen. Steven Blum of the National Guard says areas surrounding Rita are experiencing significant "secondary events," such as flooding. Arkansas is among the states affected.
11:19 a.m. EDT: The Associated Press reports that New Orleans has received less rain than expected, with the exception of an outlying area where the storm surge forced hundreds of people from their homes.
11:13 a.m. EDT: Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans says parts of New Orleans' Ninth Ward are under as much as eight feet of water due to Rita's massive storm surge.
10:52 a.m. EDT: The Houston Chronicle reports that Beaumont, Texas—pounded by Rita in the early morning hours—escaped without catastrophic damage. The wind did shear rooftops and felled trees. According to the report, "One early casualty on the city's west side: the Christian Fellowship Worship Center, where winds ripped away a wall, exposing the inside of the church like a doll house."
10:39 a.m. EDT: With winds decreasing to about 75 mph, Hurricane Rita is downgraded to a Category 1 storm. The slow-moving storm continues to drench the Texas/Louisiana coast.
9:43 a.m. EDT: CNN reports that oil refineries and chemical plants have suffered no major damage from Rita.
9:37 a.m. EDT: CNN reports that Rita is "weakening pretty rapidly" with winds weakening to about 100 mph. By noon EDT, Rita could be downgraded to Category 1. Houston and Galveston have been largely spared.
8:07 a.m. EDT: Associated Press reports that wind from Hurricne Rita fueled dramatic fires in Galveston's historic Strand District, as well as in parts of Houston—"even as rain poured down in sheets." In Galveston, a building was destroyed and two others were heavily damaged. No injuries were reported in Galveston or Houston—as both cities are largely depopulated.
8:00 a.m. EDT: The National Hurricane Center downgrades Rita to a Category 2 hurricane. Center of the hurricane located between Jasper and Beaumont, Texas.
8:00 a.m. EDT: Associated Press reports about 700,000 CenterPoint Energy customers without power from Galveston to Houston and north to Humble. An additional 55,000 Texas Entergy customers without power. North of Beaumont, Texas, a house floated off its foundation with seven people inside. The Jasper County sheriff's office says it's receiving reports about downed trees as well as buildings afire or torn apart by winds.
6:53 a.m. EDT: The Houston Chronicle reports that reverse gridlock is possible as millions of evacuees return home.
6:53 a.m. EDT: The Houston Chronicle reports that President Bush—"determined to show a vigorous role in hurricane response management"—planned to visit Texas later today. Bush scrubbed plans to visit Texas yesterday upon learning that emergency response workers were deploying early and his arrival may slow their progress. Today, Bush will visit Austin before going to San Antonio's Randolph Air Force Base, where personnel are working in the recovery effort.
4:30 a.m. EDT: The Associated Press reports that Rita's storm surge exacerbates problem with the breached levees in New Orleans' Ninth Ward. Flood waters continue to rise in the already devastated neighborhoods.
3:30 a.m. EDT: Rita slams ashore, bringing a 20-foot storm surge along with 120 mph winds and sheets of rain to Texas and Louisiana.
3:00 a.m. EDT: CNN reports that Beaumont, Texas, loses electricity as Rita lashes the coastal community.
2:20 a.m. EDT: In an interview with CNN, Port Arthur, Texas, Mayor Oscar Ortiz says he's afraid his city will be hit "real bad" as winds and rain pick up.
12:55 a.m. EDT: National Hurricane Center update says center of Hurricane Rita "wobbling toward landfall near Louisiana/Texas Border." The storm is moving at 11 mph, packing strong winds and heavy rains.
Day Two's Rita coverage: Friday, Septemeber 23
Day One's Rita coverage: Thursday, Septemeber 22