AUSTIN, Texas; Javier Morales, a 31-year-old mechanic fleeing Hurricane Rita, drove 12 hours from Houston to San Antonio on Thursday only to find overcrowded emergency shelters with barely liveable conditions.

So, he drove farther to Austin, stopping at every motel along the way to check for vacancies for his family of six before finding a makeshift shelter in a high school gym.

“It’s been crazy,” said Morales outside Lanier High School in Austin. “Fights, broken-down cars and children running around on the roads.”

As more than 1mn residents from along the Gulf of Mexico escaped from their homes, towns and cities across Texas struggled with housing the displaced masses, many still stranded on jam-packed highways.

Tempers flared in the 36C (97F) heat at the few gas stations that still had gas, overheated cars lined the freeways and trips that normally take 15 minutes stretched into hours. Officials offered no quick fixes, but said they would provide free gasoline to people who ran out of gas while waiting in the traffic.

Rita continued to power across the Gulf of Mexico, packing winds of nearly 233kph (145mph) and heading for just east of Galveston and Houston. The storm is expected to come ashore this morning.

“We’re just happy we got here. We were worried about running out of gasoline,” said Anna Galindo, who drove 14 hours from Houston to Austin with her husband and three children.

She was one of 341 evacuees who packed into the Lanier High School’s basketball court and covered the hardwood floors with sleeping bags and blankets. Austin police said the facility filled up in less than an hour.

“Everyone is getting along right now, but come Saturday, it might be a different story,” one officer said.

Austin officials said it had eight emergency shelters, but that figure could grow to 70 facilities if the need arises. – Reuters