Just two short weeks after Hurricane Gustav, the strongest storm of the season -- Hurricane Ike -- has left widespread devastation along the Texas Gulf Coast.  The ELCA now looks to respond, both domestically and internationally, in the many places affected by the incredible power of this storm.

Prior to making U.S. landfall, Hurricane Ike did tremendous damage in Haiti and Cuba.  Nearly 400 people were killed in Haiti alone, as the island was ravaged by the powerful winds and storm surge.  The ELCA will be responding there through ACT International (Action by Churches Together) and Lutheran World Federation, primarily through grants and other resourcs.

Here in the United States, the storm came ashore near Galveston Island, an area quite familiar with the power of hurricanes, having been nearly wiped from the map in 1900.  In this storm, the island was completely overwhelmed by flood waters from the nearly 20 foot storm surge, and even residents may not be allowed onto the island for days, if not weeks, to come.  The area along the Texas border with Louisiana, including Port Arthur, Orange, and Beaumont -- commonly referred to as the "Golden Triangle" -- were among the hardest hit communities.

Elsewhere, response is beginning from Hurricanes Dolly, Fay, and Gustav, storms which impacted areas from as far southwest as the U.S. border with Mexico and as far southeast as central and southern Florida.  In many cases, the communities affected were some of the same that suffered major impact from the devestating storm season of 2005.