Ike Coverage: Floodwaters around Galveston filled with oil and chemicals

The Galveston County Daily News reports that health conditions on Galveston Island are deteriorating in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

Mosquitos and the diseases they carry are a growing concern; one man suffering from about 1,000 mosquito bites had to be airlifted off the island. But insects are not the only serious threat to public health, the paper reports:

Officials are desperately trying to keep people off the seawall. Sightings from the air confirm that flood waters are filled with oil and chemicals. City officials are ordering people to stay off and out of the water.

As we reported last week, the part of the Texas coast where Ike made landfall is a major center for the oil and chemical industries.

The American Chemistry Council, a trade group representing the chemical industry, put out a statement today acknowledging the challenges created by Gustav and Ike's "one-two punch." It said facilities are still assessing the damage.