Texas hurricane clear-up begins

The cost of widespread damage caused by the hurricane is still being assessed

Storm-battered Texas residents are beginning a massive clear-up of debris left by Hurricane Claudette.

The storm wrought havoc along more than 250 miles (400 kilometres) of Texas coastline, ripping off roofs, flattening trailers and toppling trees, killing two.

The Texas Governor, Rick Perry, says the state has now shifted from a "response" to a "recovery" phase.

"The recovery for this hurricane will be difficult and it's going to take a while, but we will get through it," he said.

Unlikely crisis

On Tuesday, authorities graded the storm as "category one" - meaning it barely qualifies as a hurricane - but experts warned it would still be powerful enough to pose a credible threat.

The damage it caused took many by surprise.

"Hurricane Claudette has forced thousands of Texans from their homes, damaged businesses and caused flooding and power outages," Governor Perry said on Thursday.

Claudette was a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest on the Saffir-Simpson scale

About 135,000 homes and businesses lost electric services in the 80mph winds.

While most have been reconnected, American Electric Power said people in areas hardest hit might not have power until Sunday.

"Today is going to reveal a much better picture of what disaster assistance will be needed here," said American Red Cross spokeswoman Suzanne Hogan near Port O'Connor, where boats were torn from their moorings and dashed against nearby buildings.

Sandra Ray of the South Western Insurance Information Service, a trade association for insurers, said a preliminary damage estimate would not be known until later on Thursday.

Tropical depression

The storm eventually lost its strength on Wednesday evening and was downgraded to a "tropical depression" as it moved towards Tucson, Arizona.

Angry seas forced surfers, swimmers and oil workers to flee the gulf ahead of Claudette, which brewed up as a tropical storm in the Caribbean a week ago, then struck Cancun on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Most of the thousands of offshore workers evacuated from the hurricane's path have now returned to Gulf of Mexico platforms and rigs. Energy firms are continuing to work to restore production.

Claudette is the third tropical storm since the Atlantic hurricane season began, which runs between June and the end of November.