GALVESTON, Texas -- Galveston officials opened the island to everyone on Sunday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas originally said Saturday morning evacuated residents returning to the island would be turned away.

State troopers were posted at the Interstate 45 causeway into the island and turned away anyone who tried to enter; however, after several frustrated citizens voiced complaints, anyone who lived or had business on the island was let in.

"What we have decided to do is beginning (Sunday) at 6 a.m., Galveston is open to everybody in the whole world," Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said.

Thomas said residents who return to Galveston Island in the coming days could face problems left behind by Hurricane Rita:

"We want our citizens to know that, of course, we want them home, but there are certain conditions that they need to be aware of that they will be facing, possibly for a number of days," Thomas said.

The conditions are:

No medical care will be provided at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Only emergency medical care will be available until further notice.
The island has a limited supply of fuel, food and water. Local businesses are not operating at full capacity.
Power may not be restored for up to 10 days. About 65 percent had no power as of 5 p.m. Saturday.
Residents residing west of Seven Mile Road and east of 1st Street are required to boil water for drinking until water test results are reported and sampling has been completed on Monday.

Garbage pick up will return on Tuesday. Residents whose trash is normally picked up on Monday will have it picked up on Tuesday, trash picked up on Tuesday will be gathered on Wednesday, and so on. Trash pick up will return to its normal schedule by next Monday.

City Manager Steve LeBlanc said tree limbs and branches should be neatly stacked where trash is picked up.

Officials said Galveston police and fire services are operating at full force.

LeBlanc said the National Guard had been called in to relieve police and that downed power lines had left 75 percent of the island without electricity. By 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 percent of the power had been restored.

City officials said it might be Tuesday before the island and surrounding Galveston County is fully operational.

Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough said residents of the county's mainland and NOT those of Galveston or Tiki islands may return to their homes. But he warned that anyone who does return might not have electric power.

"Our primary concern is public safety," Yarbrough said. "We understand people want to get back in their home immediately. We understand that and we are trying our best to facilitate that process, but as the mayor said, we've got some situations here in Galveston with electrical and city services that we want to get in place prior to letting 60,000 people back on the island."

Yarbrough said emergency officials have transitioned into the recovery phase of their operation.

"We have been blessed. We are not in near as bad as shape as we could have been or what we thought we were a couple days ago," Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough said.

Government officials said the area between Bolivar Peninsula and High Island was still experiencing flooding and many power lines brought down by Rita remained on the ground.

Yarbrough said no one would probably be allowed on the Bolivar Peninsula for several days.