Most residents heed mandatory evacuation in Port Arthur
PORT ARTHUR, Texas - It looks like most Port Arthur residents heeded the mayor's advice and evacuated the city of about 60,000.
"Just head north far west just get out of town," said Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie.
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"I think Laura is going to be really tough on us," said city worker Abe Keller.
Almost all of the city's businesses are closed and traffic is almost nonexistent.
"Please citizens if you're still here, move," Mayor Bartie pleaded.
Residents with no place to go or a way to get out caught busses to shelters bound for Walker County.
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"We're providing the basic needs transportation to get out of the city at a time that's not safe to be in the city," Bartie said.
"We want animals left behind to have an alternative site to go to for safety," said Jaynish Patel a volunteer with Houston PetSet.
Non-profit Houston PetSet was in Port Arthur to help clear the city's animal shelter.
"It's all about saving the animals taking care of them getting them out of harm's way," said Houston PetSet volunteer Sid Shackleford.
Like most hurricanes, there will be some here who opt to ride it out.
The mayor warns that after noon on Wednesday you won't get an answer when you call 911.