[CedarDave]

Just because Houston, Galveston and New Orleans weren't destroyed doesn't mean there wasn't widespread destruction. See here:

Rita Damage to SW Louisiana worse than being reported

[Savage Rider]

The destruction affects more than just East Texas and Southern Louisiana. The whole south of Texas (San Antonio, Austin, Houston) and south of Louisiana (Houma, LaPlace) have been without Roadrunner cable internet and their sister TimeWarner cable tv for more than two hours now. All phone lines to them are overloading their circuits.