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Galveston mayor says city plans to be self-sufficient after hurricane

GALVESTON, Texas (CNN) -- The city of Galveston plans to be completely self-sufficient for at least three days after Hurricane Rita sweeps through, the mayor said Thursday, in light of what happened in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

"The city of Galveston has plans to exist without outside help at all for at least three days because New Orleans was cut off for so long," Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas told CNN's "American Morning."

At least 75 to 80 percent of the city's nearly 58,000 residents have left the island in the past few days, the mayor said.

"We hope that whoever is left here... will move on out today," Thomas said.

She said patrol cars with loudspeakers will drive around later in the day to urge those who haven't left yet to get out.

Wednesday, as many as 2,400 residents who had no transportation took advantage of a ride out of the city on school buses. (Posted 7:55 a.m.)

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