Flooded New Orleans is braced for possible 90mph winds and more flash flooding ahead of a likely hurricane arriving on Saturday. Tropical Storm Barry is forecast to reach category one hurricane level when it smashes into the US Gulf Coast tomorrow. A state of emergency has been ordered for the state of Louisiana. Concerned authorities have urged residents to secure their homes, gather supplies and to take refuge in emergency shelters ahead of the storm’s arrival.
“Extreme rain” is forecast and the National Weather said up to 30cm of rain could fall.
Some people have decided to flee the city over fears that the already swollen Mississippi River will burst its banks and cause widespread flooding.
Hurricane Katrina killed 1,800 people in 2005 after leaving much of New Orleans underwater and people stranded.
Mother-of-two Betsey Hazard said she was taking no chances and her family would be leaving for neighbouring state Mississippi.
She said: “They say that the river won’t flood in New Orleans, but we have a five-year-old and a 10-month-old, and we don’t want to take any chances.”
What are the latest updates on Barry form NOAA?
The late NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) update at 7am BST (1am local time) said Barry was “crawling westward with little change in strength”.
The update said: “Dangerous storm surge heavy rains and winds conditions expected across the north-central Gulf Coast.”
NOAA said Barry was churning slowly at 3mph about 80 miles south east of the mouth of the Mississippi River and about 140 miles south east of Morgan City, Louisiana.
Maximum winds were 50mph but NOAA said Barry could still strengthen in the coming hours.
The update stated: “Most of the models show modest strengthening despite the northerly shear and the effect of the dry air.”
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for part of the Louisiana Coast from Intracoastal City to Grand Isle.
The other watches and warnings in effect are as follows:
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Mouth of the Pearl River to Grand Isle
* Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas including metropolitan New Orleans
* Intracoastal City to Cameron
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…
* Intracoastal City to Shell Beach
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for…
* Shell Beach to the Mississippi/Alabama border
* Lake Pontchartrain
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…
* Mouth of the Mississippi River to Grand Isle
* Intracoastal City to Cameron
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* East of the Mouth of the Pearl River to the Mississippi/Alabama border