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| US coast gets set amid storm fear | US coast gets set amid storm fear |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Fears of a major storm have prompted New Orleans to prepare evacuation plans, three years after the US city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. | Fears of a major storm have prompted New Orleans to prepare evacuation plans, three years after the US city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. |
| Tropical storm Gustav, downgraded from a hurricane, has resulted in more than 20 deaths in Haiti, and is now heading towards Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. | Tropical storm Gustav, downgraded from a hurricane, has resulted in more than 20 deaths in Haiti, and is now heading towards Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. |
| Residents there have boarded up homes as forecasters warn the storm could return to hurricane strength by Friday. | Residents there have boarded up homes as forecasters warn the storm could return to hurricane strength by Friday. |
| Gustav is expected to head towards the US, but it not clear where it will hit. | Gustav is expected to head towards the US, but it not clear where it will hit. |
| Meteorologists say it could make landfall anywhere from south Texas to Florida by Monday. | Meteorologists say it could make landfall anywhere from south Texas to Florida by Monday. |
| Workers were being evacuated from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. | Workers were being evacuated from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Oil prices on trading markets rose amid forecasts that Gustav could strengthen and threaten oil installations in the region. | Oil prices on trading markets rose amid forecasts that Gustav could strengthen and threaten oil installations in the region. |
| 'Life-threatening floods' | 'Life-threatening floods' |
| At 0200 local time (0600 GMT) the centre of the storm was 80 miles (130km) north-east of Jamaica's capital, Kingston, US National Hurricane Center in Florida said. | At 0200 local time (0600 GMT) the centre of the storm was 80 miles (130km) north-east of Jamaica's capital, Kingston, US National Hurricane Center in Florida said. |
| See map of the region | See map of the region |
| With maximum winds of 75km/h (45mph), it was moving south-west at about 13 Km/h (8mph) and was expected to pass very close to Jamaica later on Thursday. | With maximum winds of 75km/h (45mph), it was moving south-west at about 13 Km/h (8mph) and was expected to pass very close to Jamaica later on Thursday. |
| A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning remain in effect for Jamaica. | A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning remain in effect for Jamaica. |
| The aftermath of tropical storm Gustav in the Dominican Republic | |
| A hurricane watch is also in effect for all the Cayman Islands, although Cuba has replaced a hurricane warning for its eastern Granma province with a tropical storm warning. | A hurricane watch is also in effect for all the Cayman Islands, although Cuba has replaced a hurricane warning for its eastern Granma province with a tropical storm warning. |
| The centre warns that Gustav is also expected to produce heavy rainfall - up to 25 inches (64cm) in some places - over Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and the Caymans. | The centre warns that Gustav is also expected to produce heavy rainfall - up to 25 inches (64cm) in some places - over Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and the Caymans. |
| "These rains will likely produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides," it said. | "These rains will likely produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides," it said. |
| Meanwhile, the US state of Louisiana and New Orleans are making their own preparations ahead of Gustav's arrival. | Meanwhile, the US state of Louisiana and New Orleans are making their own preparations ahead of Gustav's arrival. |
| Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard. | Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard. |
| New Orleans has also begun planning a possible mandatory evacuation, hoping to prevent the chaos it saw after Katrina, which struck the city three years ago on Friday. | New Orleans has also begun planning a possible mandatory evacuation, hoping to prevent the chaos it saw after Katrina, which struck the city three years ago on Friday. |
| Gustav is the seventh tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. | Gustav is the seventh tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. |
| Back to story | Back to story |
| Have you been affected by Gustav? Are you preparing for its arrival? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Have you been affected by Gustav? Are you preparing for its arrival? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| You can send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions | You can send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |