Sounds like Hurricane Ike was terrible but not as dire as the most dire predictions by almost everyone - in fact, about half of what they predicted - a very good thing, because of this thing had been what they predicted it would have been truly horrendous.
Actually, the predictions were almost spot on except for the height of the storm surge. Estimates said 20 feet, reality was 15.5 feet. The surge protection for Galveston is 17 feet.
Another two feet of surge and Galveston would have been destroyed, the Houston ship channel severely compromised, and the oil refineries seriously damaged.
der Brucer
And, there was enough destruction to more than justify the mandatory evacuations.