HOUMA, United States: Hurricane Francine slammed into Louisiana on Wednesday (Sep 11) with potential for life-threatening flooding and storm surge as residents of the southern US state have been suggested to hunker down indoors.
The storm weakened because it moved over land, forecasters mentioned, however it was nonetheless inflicting flooding, energy outages and heavy rain and wind. A flash flood emergency was issued for the town of New Orleans.
Francine made landfall as a Class 2 hurricane on a five-level scale in Terrebonne Parish on the southern fringe of the state at 5pm native time, in response to the Nationwide Hurricane Heart (NHC).
Two hours later the storm was downgraded to Class 1 with sustained winds of 140kmh and will deliver as much as 3m of storm surge and a foot of rain in some components of Louisiana, the NHC added.
“Life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and heavy rains proceed to have an effect on southern Louisiana,” the NHC mentioned in a bullet at 0000 GMT.
The Nationwide Climate Service’s New Orleans workplace issued a flash flood emergency for the town and close by districts often known as parishes, whereas New Orleans Mayor, LaToya Cantrell, urged residents to shelter in place.
“It’s essential to be inside proper now. Time to hunker down,” Cantrell mentioned in a video posted to social media.
Native TV stations and pictures on social media confirmed coastal cities battered by the storm, with some streets flooded. Greater than 300,000 prospects throughout Louisiana have been with out energy, in response to monitoring web site poweroutage.us.
Within the city of Houma, residents crammed sandbags, stocked up on provides and crammed their vehicles with fuel forward of the storm’s arrival.
“We’re working onerous to remain right here so long as we will … to handle our individuals,” a fuel station supervisor who gave her title as Alicia B advised AFP.
The NHC mentioned the storm is predicted to shortly weaken because it strikes inland over Louisiana and neighbouring Mississippi.
