Hurricane Dean May Threaten US Gulf Coast (Updated 8/19)

Packing winds in excess of 150 MPH, Hurricane Dean is bearing down on Jamaica and may side swipe the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean.

After that, forecasters are worried that the storm may hit the Gulf Coast of Texas sometime on Wednesday. Texas is already battling the effects of Tropical Storm Erin whose torrential rains have caused considerable damage and cost 6 lives:

Texans battled rain and flooding Saturday from the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin as Gulf Coast residents cast a wary eye toward Hurricane Dean, which strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it charged through the Caribbean.

At least six people died this week because of Erin's thunderstorms. One person remained missing.

The storm's remnants poured more rain on parts of western Texas on Saturday, and the National Weather Service said flash flood warnings remained in effect for wide sections of the state.

More than 9 inches of rain had fallen in the Houston area, and more than 10 had been measured north of San Antonio at the town of Boerne since Erin arrived, the weather service said.

Texas governor Rick Perry has already issued warnings that the storm is "an imminent threat" and urged citizens to prepare by stocking up on water and food.

The storm's track will put it in the Gulf of Mexico late tomorrow where there is a possibility it could strengthen to a category 5 storm.

UPDATE FROM DOUG HANSON


The body missing woman you referred to in the report has been found.

Late Thursday, unable to clearly see in the dark during the storm, Evelin Luna drove her Hummer off a curb and into a drainage ditch. She thought there wasn't running water near her vehicle, but Luna stepped into a "raging 6-foot-deep stream moving about 10 mph.  Within seconds, she was swept into the blackness."

"Last night, police and rescue workers moving on foot and using All-terrain Vehicles found Luna's body two miles from where she had disappeared in an area that "at the height of the storm was under about 8 feet of water."

Meanwhile, Texas Governor Rick Perry has done more than warn of the imminent threat. As of Saturday morning, preparations have included:

1.  Activating the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in San Antonio
2.  Prepositioning supplies by the Red Cross
3.  Gov. Rick Perry has called up 4,500 National Guard troops with another 5,500 prepared to activate if required  Perry also activated 250 Parks and Wildlife crews with boats, and ordered the State Operations Center to open by 7:30 a.m. today.
4.  The Texas Department of Transportation is moving equipment into place

Guard spokesman Col. Bill Meehan said, "Right now it's on the order of Rita/Katrina as far as our response,"