One year after Hurricane Ike

One year after Hurricane Ike tore across the gulf coast of Texas, residents paused on Sunday to observe the anniversary of the costliest natural disaster in Texas history. Destroying or damaging many thousands of houses, including 3/4 of all homes in Galveston, Ike's 110 mph winds caused more than $29 billion in damage, and took the lives of at least 72 in the United States. In Galveston one year later, 75% of businesses have reopened, much of the debris has been cleared, and 95% of the population has returned, but much work still remains to be done as residents continue to rebuild and recover. Collected here are a series of before-and-after photographs.

At left, a home burns during Hurricane Ike in Galveston, Texas, one year ago, on Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. At right, the same scene is photographed Aug. 16, 2009. (AP photo/The Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool)


2Flood waters and oil slicks completely surround High Island after Hurricane Ike, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008. Click to see the after image - High Island seen in September of 2009.(AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool) #



3Ralls Lee, center, salvages club trophies in the remains of the Seabrook Sailing Club after hurricane Ike Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, in Seabrook, Texas. Click to see that now only a lot remains where the building once stood, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. The club will have a ground breaking ceremony on Sept. 5 for a replacement building.(AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, James Nielsen) #



4Alison Naquin, 14, sits amidst the damage after the roof in her bedroom caved in during the storm, in the Green Tee subdivision after Hurricane Ike swept through on Sept. 13, 2008 in Pearland, Texas. Click to see Naquin, now 15, playing a guitar on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009 as she sits on her brand new bed in the same bedroom.(AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Mayra Beltran) #



5The Out-Rigger Grill is shown in Crystal Beach, Texas, seen Sept. 16, 2008 and 9after clicking) the same scene on Sept. 9, 2009. Although some of the vegetation and debris is gone, the restaurant is still currently being rebuilt and is not open for business.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) #



6A view of buildings and the Crystal Beach water tower in Crystal Beach, Texas on Sept. 16, 2008, showing electric poles downed by Ike. The second photo was made Sept. 9, 2009, showing all the repairs.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) #



7Shackle, an 11-year-old African lioness rode out the hurricane in the First Baptist Church of Crystal Beach, in Crystal Beach, Texas on Sept. 16, 2008. The "after" photo was taken in the same spot on Sept. 9, 2009 as a group of parishioners have a Wednesday night prayer service.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) #



8A pair of photos showing what locals refer to as the "Bird Houses", because of the building design, near Gilchrist Texas. The first photo was made Sept. 16, 2008, showing where Hurricane Ike's surge had washed sand and debris over Highway 87. The second photo was taken on Sept. 9, 2009.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) #



9Ralph Hayes kisses Bobbie Davis, 79, after bringing food and water to her and other tenants of the Heights House, whose elderly and disabled tenants were left without water or electricity, Sept. 14, 2008 in Houston. In the "after" photo, Bobbie Davis, now 80, poses for a photo in the same Houston Heights apartment, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, in Houston.(AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) #



10Murdoch's Pier and restaurants are seen amidst debris washed onto Seawall Blvd. and 23rd St. in Galveston, Texas, after Hurricane Ike on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. One year later, in the "after" photo, the rubble of Murdoch's Pier has been cleaned up and businesses are returning Thursday, Aug 28, 2009. Murdoch's Pier is currently being rebuilt.(AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Johnny Hanson) #



11Tom LeCroy walks through debris strewn in The Strand that suffered flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008, in Galveston, Texas. Click to see the second photo, showing Tom LeCroy, owner of LeCroy's Louisiana Bistro, posing for a portrait in the same spot on Monday, Aug. 30, 2009. He re-opened his establishment in August 2009.(AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Brett Coomer) #



12The home of Pam and Warren Adams in Gilchrist, Texas, seen on Sept. 16, 2008 - the same home made famous as the only house left standing in a large damaged area (see earlier photo). The "after" photo showing repairs was taken Sept. 9, 2009.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) #



13Rising surf laps at the Galveston Seawall as the historic Balinese Room juts 600 feet out over the water as the city prepares for the arrival Hurricane Ike, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008. In the later photograph, the night club, once listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is unseen, completely destroyed by the hurricane, leaving only a few piers in the surf as remaining traces across from the street from the Galvez Hotel, seen Aug. 2009.(AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool) #