It is now estimated that some 2.5 million people are in the process of fleeing their homes in the Gulf coast region of the United States, as Hurricane Rita careens toward the country. Already, rains and heavy winds are being felt in Louisiana and parts of Texas. The storm is scheduled to hit sometime Saturday. Yesterday, the storm weakened slightly, from Category 5 to Category 4 status, but meteorologists warned it could pick back up before hitting the US. The freeways out of Houston remain jam packed with vehicles full of people attempting to leave the city and the Texas National Guard is dispatching tanker trucks to help motorists who have run out of gas. Meanwhile, there are fears in New Orleans that the city’s fragile levees could break from the impact of Rita.