Arkansas is Ready for Hurricane Rita

Press Release

Gov. Mike Huckabee said Friday morning that state government is fully prepared for possible flooding and high winds during the weekend and early next week as Hurricane Rita moves across the state.

"We've worked day and night the past several weeks to serve evacuees from Louisiana, Mississippi and now Texas," the governor said. "But we're fully prepared to serve our own citizens in the event of high winds and flooding. In fact, state government has never been better prepared since we have so many people mobilized statewide to serve the evacuees."

The Operation KARE (Katrina Assistance and Relief Effort) command center continues to operate at the state Capitol. John Brackin of the governor's staff is the Operation KARE coordinator. Those manning the Operation KARE command center will focus not only on assisting evacuees but also will direct the state government response to any problems created in Arkansas by Hurricane Rita, Huckabee said.

Once the storm makes landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border early Saturday, the system is expected to move north and slow. The storm is forecast to move slowly across eastern Texas on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Rainfall associated with the system is expected to spread into Arkansas by early Saturday. It appears the heaviest rainfall will occur in southwest Arkansas.

Through Monday, the National Weather Service expects rainfall amounts to average six to nine inches in the extreme southwest parts of the state with locally higher amounts possible. Rainfall is expected to average two to three inches in central Arkansas with lesser amounts to the north.

Huckabee said the storm will bring average wind speeds of 25 to 35 miles per hour in far southwest Arkansas late Saturday night and Sunday morning. Average wind speeds of 15 to 25 miles per hour will prevail across the rest of the state. The threat of isolated tornadoes is limited to the extreme southern portions of the state on Sunday.

If the system lingers longer than expected, the threat of flooding rains could increase Monday and Tuesday.

"Those with livestock in southwest Arkansas should keep a close watch on this system and be prepared to move their livestock to higher ground," the governor said.

Huckabee said the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, the Arkansas State Police, the Arkansas National Guard, the Arkansas Forestry Commission and other agencies of state government are on alert and prepared to respond to anything that occurs during the weekend. The Department of Emergency Management continues to man its emergency operations center 24 hours a day.

Meanwhile, evacuees from Texas and Louisiana who can't find hotel or motel rooms were being directed Friday morning to shelters such as the Arkadelphia Recreation Center, the Pine Bluff Convention Center and Fort Chaffee near Fort Smith.

Additional information can be found on the Operation KARE website at www.kare.arkansas.gov.

"We still have thousands of people in the state due to Hurricane Katrina," Huckabee said. "Now, we have thousands more who are fleeing Hurricane Rita. We're in the unique situtation of being the only state that borders both Texas and Louisiana. This is an unusual and challenging time in our state's history, but we're going to be a good neighbor. I've kept in touch with the governors of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. They know we're here to help. At the same time, we're ready to respond to whatever Hurricane Rita brings us. I've never been more proud of our hard-working state employees than I am right now. Many of them will be working through the weekend to ensure that no need goes unmet."

Arkansas State Police personnel worked through the day Friday to assist motorists from Texas and Louisiana who are entering southern and western Arkansas.

The state Department of Parks and Tourism is using its state welcome centers at Texarkana, El Dorado, Ashdown and Dora to direct evacuees to places where they can spend the night.

Huckabee again urged Arkansans to give to a special fund that has been set up for those wishing to donate money specifically to help Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi evacuees who are in Arknasas. Those wanting to give should send checks made out to Operation KARE and mail them to Operation KARE, Governor's Office, State Capitol, Little Rock, AR 72201. The fund is administered by the state Department of Finance and Administration. It will be used to assist evacuees from both hurricanes.

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