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| Hurricane Gustav losing strength | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Hurricane Gustav is moving inland from the US Gulf coast after the worst of the storm missed New Orleans - the city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. | Hurricane Gustav is moving inland from the US Gulf coast after the worst of the storm missed New Orleans - the city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. |
| The eye of the storm, which has now weakened to Category One hurricane, is bearing down on the Louisiana community of Opelousas, bringing heavy rains. | The eye of the storm, which has now weakened to Category One hurricane, is bearing down on the Louisiana community of Opelousas, bringing heavy rains. |
| In New Orleans, the city's levees are holding surging floodwaters, although sea levels could still rise further. | In New Orleans, the city's levees are holding surging floodwaters, although sea levels could still rise further. |
| Some two million people have fled inland from the Louisiana coast. | Some two million people have fled inland from the Louisiana coast. |
| Gustav, which had left nearly 90 people dead last week as it crossed the Caribbean, made landfall west of New Orleans on Monday. | Gustav, which had left nearly 90 people dead last week as it crossed the Caribbean, made landfall west of New Orleans on Monday. |
| It is now quickly losing strength and has been downgraded to a Category One hurricane, with winds of 75mph (120km/h), the Florida-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) says. | It is now quickly losing strength and has been downgraded to a Category One hurricane, with winds of 75mph (120km/h), the Florida-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) says. |
| Gustav is expected to move into eastern Texas overnight, dumping as much as 20in (50cm) of rain there by Thursday. | Gustav is expected to move into eastern Texas overnight, dumping as much as 20in (50cm) of rain there by Thursday. |
| In preparation for the storm, oil companies had shut down nearly all production in the Gulf region, which accounts for about 25% of domestic output in the US. | In preparation for the storm, oil companies had shut down nearly all production in the Gulf region, which accounts for about 25% of domestic output in the US. |
| Firms will not be able to assess the damage from the storm until the winds have died down and surveillance flights can be carried out, correspondents say. | Firms will not be able to assess the damage from the storm until the winds have died down and surveillance flights can be carried out, correspondents say. |
| On Monday, the price of oil in the US fell more than $4 a barrel to just above $111 - partly because Gustav was weaker than expected earlier. | On Monday, the price of oil in the US fell more than $4 a barrel to just above $111 - partly because Gustav was weaker than expected earlier. |
| Ghost town | Ghost town |
| The exodus from the Louisiana coast was the largest evacuation in state history. | The exodus from the Louisiana coast was the largest evacuation in state history. |
| FLASHBACK TO KATRINA Katrina struck US Gulf Coast in August 2005 as a Category Three storm, killing more than 1,800 peopleNew Orleans was 80% flooded after storm surge breached protective leveesUS Government was blamed for slow, botched response that exacerbated disasterHundreds of thousands of people were displaced Flashback: Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Gustav as it happensIn pictures: Gustav's approachTracking Gustav on the web | FLASHBACK TO KATRINA Katrina struck US Gulf Coast in August 2005 as a Category Three storm, killing more than 1,800 peopleNew Orleans was 80% flooded after storm surge breached protective leveesUS Government was blamed for slow, botched response that exacerbated disasterHundreds of thousands of people were displaced Flashback: Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Gustav as it happensIn pictures: Gustav's approachTracking Gustav on the web |
| Many New Orleans residents have fled, with only 10,000 left from a population of 200,000. | Many New Orleans residents have fled, with only 10,000 left from a population of 200,000. |
| Tens of thousands are also reported to have left coastal Mississippi, Alabama and south-eastern Texas. | Tens of thousands are also reported to have left coastal Mississippi, Alabama and south-eastern Texas. |
| In New Orleans, a sea surge of up to 14ft (4.2m) was feared and water was clearing levees as the outer rim of the storm brought heavy rains and winds. | In New Orleans, a sea surge of up to 14ft (4.2m) was feared and water was clearing levees as the outer rim of the storm brought heavy rains and winds. |
| Waves were causing some flooding but the city's pumps were keeping up with the flow, said a spokesman for the army unit responsible for the city's flood defences. | Waves were causing some flooding but the city's pumps were keeping up with the flow, said a spokesman for the army unit responsible for the city's flood defences. |
| The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said that although the high water pressing the walls raised the potential for problems, officials were "confident in the resilience" of the levees. | The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said that although the high water pressing the walls raised the potential for problems, officials were "confident in the resilience" of the levees. |
| "We don't expect the loss of life, certainly, that we saw in Katrina," Fema spokesman Harvey Johnson said. | "We don't expect the loss of life, certainly, that we saw in Katrina," Fema spokesman Harvey Johnson said. |
| "But we are expecting a lot of homes to be damaged, a lot of infrastructure to be flooded, and damaged severely." | "But we are expecting a lot of homes to be damaged, a lot of infrastructure to be flooded, and damaged severely." |
| The Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, has urged caution. | The Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, has urged caution. |
| He said: "We're still seeing storm surge. There's lots of rain, tornado threats... We are nowhere near out of danger yet." | He said: "We're still seeing storm surge. There's lots of rain, tornado threats... We are nowhere near out of danger yet." |
| Jim Huff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Hurricane Gustav | Jim Huff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Hurricane Gustav |
| He said people should not rush to return to the city. | |
| In 2005, three-quarters of New Orleans was flooded by a storm surge that claimed more than 1,800 lives in coastal areas. | In 2005, three-quarters of New Orleans was flooded by a storm surge that claimed more than 1,800 lives in coastal areas. |
| The Category Three storm Katrina swept away the city's levees under a wall of mud and water. | The Category Three storm Katrina swept away the city's levees under a wall of mud and water. |
| Concern for those facing the hurricane has prompted the Republican party to scale back its national convention where Senator John McCain is due to accept the party's nomination for president at the event in St Paul, Minnesota later this week. | Concern for those facing the hurricane has prompted the Republican party to scale back its national convention where Senator John McCain is due to accept the party's nomination for president at the event in St Paul, Minnesota later this week. |
| Meanwhile, Hurricane Hanna - a category one storm - has developed near the Bahamas in the Atlantic ocean, the NHC says. | Meanwhile, Hurricane Hanna - a category one storm - has developed near the Bahamas in the Atlantic ocean, the NHC says. |
| In addition to Hanna, Tropical Storm Ike has formed midway between the Caribbean and Africa, and could become a hurricane within two days, the centre says. | In addition to Hanna, Tropical Storm Ike has formed midway between the Caribbean and Africa, and could become a hurricane within two days, the centre says. |
| 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. |