September 22, 2005
by Kevin Caruso
Hurricane Rita has slightly weakened from its peak sustained winds of 175 mph to the current level of 165 mph.
The hurricane is centered about 490 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas and is moving north-northwest at 9 mph.
Texas politicians and officials continue to push hard to evacuate all vulnerable areas.
Houston will take some time to evacuate because of its size, and traffic is extremely heavy on freeways leading out of the city.
Air lifts are also underway to help evacuate people from hospitals and nursing homes.
