Huge Volume Of Hurricane Ike-Generated Debris In Texas Still Uncollected

Houston, TX (AHN) - Up to one-third of debris in Houston generated by Ike remains uncollected weeks after the hurricane has battered the state. City and county officials estimate the total volume up to 12 million cubic yard.

That is sufficient to fill up the Astrodome over six times. The clean-up cost to the hurricane-generated debris could go beyond $200 million, 50 percent above what was allocated earlier by local officials. At least 75 percent of the cleaning cost is expected by local officials to be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

So far 65 percent of Houston homes have been serviced initially by contract cleaning workers. Contracting officials, who initially forecast to reach all Houston homes by Oct. 14, have moved the target date to Oct. 18. But they do not have a set date yet for the second round of debris collection.

Harry Hayes, director of Houston's Department of Solid Waste Management, explained to the Houston Chronicle, "We don't want to give folks a false hope that this will be a quick process when most likely it will not."

Meanwhile, another casualty of Hurricane Ike were spared of becoming unemployed after Texas lawmakers promised money for the University of Texas Medical Branch. The university earlier planned to layoff 4,000 workers after the UTMB sustained $710 million in losses due to the hurricane. Only $100 million of the university's losses is covered by insurance.