Hurricane Ike's Grim Toll

Hurricane Ike left a trail of misery and death from the moment it made landfall on the Texas coast through the Great Lakes with massive flooding. At least 40 people were killed outside of Texas by flooding from rains of the remnants of Ike.

However, we're still a long way from knowing what's going on in places like Galveston and shore communities up and down the coast. The death toll thus far has been thankfully low, compared to the dire predictions, but some, including Gateway Pundit, think that the toll is going to be much higher as search and rescue gives way to recovery efforts and attempts are made to get next of kin to identify remains.

Searchers in Galveston expect to make lots of grim discoveries. That's a prim and proper way of saying that they're expecting to find lots of dead people who chose to remain in Galveston despite the mandatory evacuation.

In this ruined city, reduced to such an unlivable state that its mayor wants all remaining residents gone, searchers made their way through 90 percent of the inundated neighborhoods. So far they have confirmed two dead, with four others undetermined. Thousands of homes have yet to be reached.

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas warned that her city was heading toward a "downward spiral" and is not fit for habitation. Residents who evacuated are not being allowed back.

"There is nothing to come here for right now," Thomas said. "Please leave. I am asking people to leave."

Meanwhile, the hunt for survivors goes on. Searchers have accounted for 1,500 thus far in a house-to-house operation.

The death toll is expected to rise as the waters recede and searchers are able to cover more areas, said city officials, who brought in a refrigerated mobile morgue.

Devastation in places like Bolivar Peninsula is hard to comprehend, but it's on par with that which was seen in storms like Rita and Katrina.

Utilities are struggling to get power lines restrung and power restored to more than 3 million people. It may be weeks before power is fully restored, as utilities perform triage:

CenterPoint officials say crews focus on the repairs that restore power to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time. That means repairing big feeder lines — the backbone of the distribution system — that can affect 1,000 customers or more.

The line fuses, which connect 100 or more customers, are next in line for attention. Transformers, which affect about 10 customers, are next, followed by line drops to individual homes.

Restoring power is key to solving other hurricane-related problems, including gasoline shortages, fresh food supplies, ice and water issues.

Blackouts persist up and down the Gulf Coast, including as far away as Mississippi.

Lafitte, Barataria, Crown Point, and Grand Isle, Louisiana residents have been allowed to return home, but utilities are out and there is widespread damage. Flooding remains an issue on major thoroughfares in and around New Orleans.