"Hurricane fatigue" sets in as Ike targets Gulf coast

Officials in U S Gulf coast are worried that many storm-weary residents of the area may ignore orders to evacuate or stock supplies as the hurricane Ike closes in.

When hurricane Gustav was moving towards New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin called it the "Mother of all storms" and "The storm of the century". But when Gustav came ashore, it turned out to be just another storm. After one week, most of residents have come back to the city and another hurricane is looming large in the Atlantic threatening Gulf coast. Similar is the case with Houston where residents had to flee three times this year alone.

Andy Berma, a medical office manager who relocated to Houston from Chicago two months ago said

There are so many names coming by — it's Gustav, then Hanna, then Ike. It's like a herd of animals coming at you. It seems like the media needs something to talk about.

Eventually, Hurricane Ike may become another Gustav or Katrina. But public officials fear that many in the vulnerable areas may not evacuate even if a major hurricane comes ashore.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal requested people not to ignore warnings.

We are likely going to have to become accustomed to evacuating more frequently than when we were younger."Hurricane fatigue" should not prevent people there from leaving their homes for the second time in 10 days.

Meanwhile, hurricane Ike which battered Cuba overnight is moving towards the Gulf coast. Although, it has weakened to a Category 1 storm, it can regain strength rapidly as it enters the warm waters of the Gulf. Most of the models are predicting a direct hit on Texas, but it can go anywhere in the Gulf coast.