HOUSTON -- Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said the wait would be better Thursday for hurricane evacuees seeking assistance at the Greater Houston Area Disaster Recovery Center in southeast Houston, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Hurricane Rita and Katrina evacuees who lived in now-labeled disaster areas can go to the center and get help from 90 different federal, state, local and social service agencies. But, some services might not be available to Rita evacuees.

Saying they were caught off-guard by the number of people in need, FEMA officials closed the relief center early on Wednesday after some of the hundreds of hurricane victims in line began fainting in triple-digit heat.

"Due to the impending weather, we got everybody inside. So, it doesn't look as bad but we have about 1,600 people inside," Houston Police Department Lt. S. Sears told KPRC Local 2 on Thursday.

FEMA said they would only allow 2,100 families to be serviced at the facility on Thursday. Officials said cold water would also be handed out earlier in the day and that they would keep a closer watch on people in need.

Before the line was cut, many evacuees were grateful they made it in but said they needed aid Wednesday.

"Losing all your stuff, letting your children go through all of this -- it's hard," Rita and Katrina evacuee LaTanya Cagneris told KPRC Local 2.

FEMA officials said they were not ready for the roughly 1,500 people displaced by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina who sought help at the Houston center when it reopened Wednesday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency reopened the Greater Houston Area Disaster Recovery Center Wednesday at 8 a.m. The south Houston facility was shut down during the Hurricane Rita evacuation.

The line started forming Tuesday night, and as temperatures reached record highs, some people fainted and had to be carried off by police and other evacuees.

FEMA spokesman Tom Costello described the facility as a forum for exchanging information and allowing people to register for federal assistance. Evacuees can apply for financial help from the government, while also obtaining information on housing, insurance, jobs and many other services.

The facility, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, is located at 6059 South Loop East. A shuttle will run between the center and its parking lot, located on Reed Road near Highway 288.

Costello said evacuees should bring their ID, as well as information about their income and family size.

The center will not act as a shelter, makeshift hospital or donation site. Food and hurricane debit cards also will not be distributed.

FEMA spokesman Justin Dombrowski said evacuees who do not need immediately need help should wait a few days. He encouraged those evacuees to register with FEMA by telephone, (800) 621-FEMA, or on the Internet at www.fema.gov.

Red Cross Establishes Hot Line For Rita Victims

The Houston Red Cross is close to finishing its assessment of damage from Hurricane Rita.

In the meantime, Red Cross volunteers are making sure those left homeless by the storm have a place to stay.

The Red Cross opened a hot line for Hurricane Rita victims. The number is (713) 313-5480.

As of 7 a.m. Thursday, more than 17,000 residents displaced by Rita were living in 24 shelters.

In the past month, the Red Cross has helped more than half a million families displaced by the hurricanes.