Tropical storm to hit US
Source: Agencies |
September 4, 2011, Sunday
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Slow-moving Tropical Storm Lee strengthened as it lumbered toward the Louisiana coast yesterday, bringing torrential rains that will put the flood defenses of low-lying New Orleans to the test.
The storm is expected to reach the Louisiana coast later in the day and bring 25 to 38 centimeters of rain to southeast Louisiana over the next few days, including New Orleans, which was battered by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the United States National Hurricane Center said.
Early yesterday, Lee was 25 kilometers south-southeast of Intracoastal City, with maximum winds of 95 km per hour, the hurricane center said. Lee's winds were expected to stay below the 19 kph threshold of hurricane strength.
But the prospect of flooding in low-lying New Orleans evoked memories of Hurricane Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of the city, killed 1,500 people and caused more than US$80 billion in damage.
Lee was just expected to spur localized flooding in coastal and low-lying areas, New Orleans officials said.
The city's extensive levee system is capable of processing about 2.5cm of rainfall per hour, but the storm's slow-moving nature could bring challenges, officials said.
Low-lying parishes around New Orleans saw rising waters, which covered some roadways in Plaquemines and St Bernard parishes, but no homes or businesses were threatened.
"We need to get this thing onshore and get it through here," Plaquemines Parish president Billy Nungesser told local television.
Lee will weaken once it hits land, but it will lose strength more slowly than normal due to the marshy nature of the Louisiana coast, the hurricane center said.
Lee's northeasterly track could bring heavy rains to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Appalachian Mountains next week.
The storm is expected to reach the Louisiana coast later in the day and bring 25 to 38 centimeters of rain to southeast Louisiana over the next few days, including New Orleans, which was battered by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the United States National Hurricane Center said.
Early yesterday, Lee was 25 kilometers south-southeast of Intracoastal City, with maximum winds of 95 km per hour, the hurricane center said. Lee's winds were expected to stay below the 19 kph threshold of hurricane strength.
But the prospect of flooding in low-lying New Orleans evoked memories of Hurricane Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of the city, killed 1,500 people and caused more than US$80 billion in damage.
Lee was just expected to spur localized flooding in coastal and low-lying areas, New Orleans officials said.
The city's extensive levee system is capable of processing about 2.5cm of rainfall per hour, but the storm's slow-moving nature could bring challenges, officials said.
Low-lying parishes around New Orleans saw rising waters, which covered some roadways in Plaquemines and St Bernard parishes, but no homes or businesses were threatened.
"We need to get this thing onshore and get it through here," Plaquemines Parish president Billy Nungesser told local television.
Lee will weaken once it hits land, but it will lose strength more slowly than normal due to the marshy nature of the Louisiana coast, the hurricane center said.
Lee's northeasterly track could bring heavy rains to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Appalachian Mountains next week.
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