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| Isaac breaks levee near sodden New Orleans | Isaac breaks levee near sodden New Orleans |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hurricane Isaac has weakened to a tropical storm, but is continuing to pummel New Orleans with strong winds and drenching rain. | Hurricane Isaac has weakened to a tropical storm, but is continuing to pummel New Orleans with strong winds and drenching rain. |
| Isaac is soaking the US Gulf Coast exactly seven years after the devastating Hurricane Katrina, but is much less powerful. | |
| An overnight curfew has been declared by the mayor of New Orleans. | An overnight curfew has been declared by the mayor of New Orleans. |
| Its multi-billion-dollar barriers have stood firm, but sea water has breached a levee in a town south of the city. | Its multi-billion-dollar barriers have stood firm, but sea water has breached a levee in a town south of the city. |
| Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal told reporters on Wednesday that the state would be dealing with Isaac "through early Friday morning". | Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal told reporters on Wednesday that the state would be dealing with Isaac "through early Friday morning". |
| 'Serious flooding' | |
| The storm was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on Wednesday afternoon, but is still packing heavy rainfall and winds of 70mph (110km/h). | |
| "We're going to continue to see the weather effects of this storm, especially as it moves to the northern part of our state," Mr Jindal said. | "We're going to continue to see the weather effects of this storm, especially as it moves to the northern part of our state," Mr Jindal said. |
| Caitlin Campbell, a spokeswoman for Plaquemines Parish - where Isaac first touched down - said water was running over an 18-mile (29-km) stretch of the levee and some homes were flooded. | Caitlin Campbell, a spokeswoman for Plaquemines Parish - where Isaac first touched down - said water was running over an 18-mile (29-km) stretch of the levee and some homes were flooded. |
| The overtopped 8ft-high levee in the east of Plaquemines Parish is not part of the upgraded federal system protecting New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. | The overtopped 8ft-high levee in the east of Plaquemines Parish is not part of the upgraded federal system protecting New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. |
| After hitting Plaquemines, the then-category one hurricane headed back out to sea, before making a second landfall further west at Port Fourchon at about 02:00 (07:00 GMT) local time. | After hitting Plaquemines, the then-category one hurricane headed back out to sea, before making a second landfall further west at Port Fourchon at about 02:00 (07:00 GMT) local time. |
| There were reports of serious flooding and people stranded by rising waters in the Braithwaite area, just across the Mississippi river from metropolitan New Orleans. | There were reports of serious flooding and people stranded by rising waters in the Braithwaite area, just across the Mississippi river from metropolitan New Orleans. |
| Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said the damage wrought by Isaac was worse than Katrina. | Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said the damage wrought by Isaac was worse than Katrina. |
| Mr Nungesser told local broadcaster WWL that water in the area was standing at 12-14 feet, and that 75 people had been rescued from Braithwaite, with at least 25 still trapped in properties. | Mr Nungesser told local broadcaster WWL that water in the area was standing at 12-14 feet, and that 75 people had been rescued from Braithwaite, with at least 25 still trapped in properties. |
| Hurricanes don't just hit, they hang around, and from here in New Orleans it feels like Isaac is hanging around longer than most. | Hurricanes don't just hit, they hang around, and from here in New Orleans it feels like Isaac is hanging around longer than most. |
| As soon as Hurricane Isaac hit land it slowed down and has spent hours crawling along the coast heading west and north from where it first struck. | As soon as Hurricane Isaac hit land it slowed down and has spent hours crawling along the coast heading west and north from where it first struck. |
| First light here in the high-lying French Quarter revealed little about the extent of the flooding - it will be hours before a proper assessment can begin. | First light here in the high-lying French Quarter revealed little about the extent of the flooding - it will be hours before a proper assessment can begin. |
| Some of the highest winds and heaviest bands of rain have hit New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, and the storm surge has been testing the city's new defences. | Some of the highest winds and heaviest bands of rain have hit New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, and the storm surge has been testing the city's new defences. |
| It's always hard to know which areas have been worst hit, but the difference seven years on from Hurricane Katrina is the video and mobile phone footage which is being posted on social media sites. | It's always hard to know which areas have been worst hit, but the difference seven years on from Hurricane Katrina is the video and mobile phone footage which is being posted on social media sites. |
| Braithwaite, on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, is home to some 1,800 people and lies just outside the new defensive wall. | Braithwaite, on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, is home to some 1,800 people and lies just outside the new defensive wall. |
| "I don't know who's calling this a category 1, but this is no category 1," Mr Nungesser said. "My house has more damage than it did during Katrina." | "I don't know who's calling this a category 1, but this is no category 1," Mr Nungesser said. "My house has more damage than it did during Katrina." |
| Strong winds were hampering full-scale air and water rescue efforts in the area, but the BBC's Alastair Leithead reports local residents were trying to make rescues with small boats. National Guard was also set to launch a rescue effort. | Strong winds were hampering full-scale air and water rescue efforts in the area, but the BBC's Alastair Leithead reports local residents were trying to make rescues with small boats. National Guard was also set to launch a rescue effort. |
| Waiting out the storm | Waiting out the storm |
| At 14:00 local time (19:00 GMT), the centre of the storm was 55 miles (90km) south-south-east of the city of Baton Rouge, and 50 miles (80km) west-south-west of New Orleans, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). | |
| The slow-moving storm, moving at about 6 mph, could take most of the day to travel as far as Baton Rouge, a town 70 miles to the north-west of New Orleans. | |
| The city will be under curfew from dusk to dawn starting on Wednesday, Mayor Mitch Landrieu told reporters, because of downed power lines and generally unsafe conditions. | The city will be under curfew from dusk to dawn starting on Wednesday, Mayor Mitch Landrieu told reporters, because of downed power lines and generally unsafe conditions. |
| "The system is performing as intended, as we expected," US Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Rachel Rodi said. "We don't see any issues with the hurricane system at this point." | "The system is performing as intended, as we expected," US Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Rachel Rodi said. "We don't see any issues with the hurricane system at this point." |
| But storm surges are still a concern, with peaks of up to 12ft (3.7m) forecast in parts of Mississippi and south-eastern Louisiana. | But storm surges are still a concern, with peaks of up to 12ft (3.7m) forecast in parts of Mississippi and south-eastern Louisiana. |
| Rainfall of up to 1ft 8in are forecast across wide areas, along with a high chance of isolated tornadoes along the coast. | Rainfall of up to 1ft 8in are forecast across wide areas, along with a high chance of isolated tornadoes along the coast. |
| The bowl-shaped city of New Orleans is particularly vulnerable to storms, with the centre of the city the furthest below sea-level. | The bowl-shaped city of New Orleans is particularly vulnerable to storms, with the centre of the city the furthest below sea-level. |
| Many residents of New Orleans have chosen to secure their homes but stay put, saying they were not too concerned by Isaac. | Many residents of New Orleans have chosen to secure their homes but stay put, saying they were not too concerned by Isaac. |
| Officials are urging residents who have not evacuated to stay in place until high winds weaken. | Officials are urging residents who have not evacuated to stay in place until high winds weaken. |
| President Barack Obama has declared an emergency in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing federal funds to be released to local authorities. | President Barack Obama has declared an emergency in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing federal funds to be released to local authorities. |
| About 600,000 people were without power across five states, the majority in Louisiana, as of Wednesday afternoon. | About 600,000 people were without power across five states, the majority in Louisiana, as of Wednesday afternoon. |
| The I-10 highway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge was closed because of high waters. | The I-10 highway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge was closed because of high waters. |
| A major highway in Mississippi was also blocked in sections by storm surge flooding. | A major highway in Mississippi was also blocked in sections by storm surge flooding. |
| Isaac killed at least 24 people as it passed over Haiti and the Dominican Republic earlier this week. | Isaac killed at least 24 people as it passed over Haiti and the Dominican Republic earlier this week. |
| It has also caused significant flooding and damage across the Caribbean and forced a day's delay to the start of the Republican party's congress in Tampa, Florida. | It has also caused significant flooding and damage across the Caribbean and forced a day's delay to the start of the Republican party's congress in Tampa, Florida. |
| Are you in the path of the storm? You can send us your experiences using the form below. | Are you in the path of the storm? You can send us your experiences using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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