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| Louisiana Calls for Evacuations as Rising Water Traps Dozens | Louisiana Calls for Evacuations as Rising Water Traps Dozens |
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| NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana officials on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of some 3,000 people in a parish outside New Orleans and are continuing to rescue dozens of others trapped in the same area by rapidly rising floodwaters caused by Hurricane Isaac. | NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana officials on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of some 3,000 people in a parish outside New Orleans and are continuing to rescue dozens of others trapped in the same area by rapidly rising floodwaters caused by Hurricane Isaac. |
| Plaquemines Parish has emerged so far as the area of southeastern Louisiana most damaged by the storm, which continues to crawl over the Louisiana coast carrying with it 70 mile per hour winds and driving rain that have led to calamitous flooding throughout the region. | |
| On Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service downgraded the system to a tropical storm, but cautioned in a statement that “life-threatening hazards from storm surge and inland flooding are still occurring.” | On Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service downgraded the system to a tropical storm, but cautioned in a statement that “life-threatening hazards from storm surge and inland flooding are still occurring.” |
| The residents of Plaquemines Parish, where at least 800 houses had flooded to some degree, needed no reminding. | |
| “We haven’t seen anything like this, not even with Katrina,” said Billy Nungesser, the parish’s president. “Those areas that didn’t flood for Katrina were flooded for this storm. If this is a Category 1 storm, I don’t want to see anything stronger.” | “We haven’t seen anything like this, not even with Katrina,” said Billy Nungesser, the parish’s president. “Those areas that didn’t flood for Katrina were flooded for this storm. If this is a Category 1 storm, I don’t want to see anything stronger.” |
| Mr. Nungesser said that officials had concluded that levees protecting part of the parish would not be tall enough to hold back quickly accumulating water. “We don’t believe we have enough height to keep the water back,” he said. Gov. Bobby Jindal said officials had been mulling causing a breach in one of the eight-foot-high levees to keep it from overtopping. | |
| Firefighters and state police officers are going door to door in the area, and evacuees, including about 65 in a nursing home, are to be transported to higher ground in ambulances or in school buses driven by National Guard troops, officials said. More than 400 people are already in emergency shelters in the parish. | |
| “I never thought it would turn out like this,” said Tieeka Matthews, who was in a shelter with her three children. “I have nowhere to go, no money, no clothes. Each year, you just wonder.” | “I never thought it would turn out like this,” said Tieeka Matthews, who was in a shelter with her three children. “I have nowhere to go, no money, no clothes. Each year, you just wonder.” |
| On Wednesday morning, another levee, on the east bank of the parish, was overtopped, causing extensive flooding and stranding more than 100 people who ignored evacuation orders. Dozens of people were still awaiting rescue on rooftops and in attics. | On Wednesday morning, another levee, on the east bank of the parish, was overtopped, causing extensive flooding and stranding more than 100 people who ignored evacuation orders. Dozens of people were still awaiting rescue on rooftops and in attics. |
| The levee is not one of the large, federally maintained earthworks lining the Mississippi River, but a locally maintained levee about eight feet high, and lower than the 12-foot surge that hit it, according to officials from the Army Corps of Engineers. | The levee is not one of the large, federally maintained earthworks lining the Mississippi River, but a locally maintained levee about eight feet high, and lower than the 12-foot surge that hit it, according to officials from the Army Corps of Engineers. |
| Mr. Jindal visited the parish Wednesday afternoon, and said search-and-rescue teams were in the area to help. | |
| Federal emergency officials warned at mid-afternoon on Wednesday that for many areas — both near the coast and well inland — the worst was yet to come. | Federal emergency officials warned at mid-afternoon on Wednesday that for many areas — both near the coast and well inland — the worst was yet to come. |
| “This is a very slow-moving, very large storm, and conditions are continuing to deteriorate,” Craig Fugate, the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, said on a conference call. | “This is a very slow-moving, very large storm, and conditions are continuing to deteriorate,” Craig Fugate, the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, said on a conference call. |
| Rick Knabb, the director of the National Hurricane Center, said that in areas where the storm had already hit, “the winds and the rain are only halfway through.” | Rick Knabb, the director of the National Hurricane Center, said that in areas where the storm had already hit, “the winds and the rain are only halfway through.” |
| In some of those areas, he said, about 10 inches of rain have already fallen, and “potentially, up to 20 inches seems quite possible.” | In some of those areas, he said, about 10 inches of rain have already fallen, and “potentially, up to 20 inches seems quite possible.” |
| “It is going to take a while for this to spin down,” Mr. Knabb said. | “It is going to take a while for this to spin down,” Mr. Knabb said. |
| The center of the storm is not expected to pass out of Louisiana and into Arkansas until Thursday night. | The center of the storm is not expected to pass out of Louisiana and into Arkansas until Thursday night. |
| “There is another half of the storm to go for most people who have already begun to experience it,” he said. “For some folks in the path, the event and the weather haven’t even begun. We are still way early before this is all over.” | “There is another half of the storm to go for most people who have already begun to experience it,” he said. “For some folks in the path, the event and the weather haven’t even begun. We are still way early before this is all over.” |
| With the storm center creeping northwest at just 6 miles per hour, the officials said, it will take some time before they can assess the full damage, move supplies and equipment in, and begin to restore power and other services. In the meantime, they urged people to be patient and stay inside. | With the storm center creeping northwest at just 6 miles per hour, the officials said, it will take some time before they can assess the full damage, move supplies and equipment in, and begin to restore power and other services. In the meantime, they urged people to be patient and stay inside. |
| “It is extremely difficult to get back into areas that are still under hurricane- and tropical-storm-force winds,” Mr. Fugate said. | “It is extremely difficult to get back into areas that are still under hurricane- and tropical-storm-force winds,” Mr. Fugate said. |
| The Coast Guard was bringing in helicopters to relieve the hardest-hit areas, like Plaquemines Parish, and “we will get those airborne as fast as we can,” Vice Admiral Robert Parker said. | The Coast Guard was bringing in helicopters to relieve the hardest-hit areas, like Plaquemines Parish, and “we will get those airborne as fast as we can,” Vice Admiral Robert Parker said. |
| New Orleans appeared to have avoided major damage, but the city was littered with fallen trees and power lines, and few traffic lights were working. Some streets were under several feet of water as rain continued to fall. More than 600,000 residents of Louisiana were without power, nearly a third of them in New Orleans. | New Orleans appeared to have avoided major damage, but the city was littered with fallen trees and power lines, and few traffic lights were working. Some streets were under several feet of water as rain continued to fall. More than 600,000 residents of Louisiana were without power, nearly a third of them in New Orleans. |
| The city declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Wednesday, following the lead of neighboring parishes. There have been a handful of arrests for looting, the authorities said. | |
| The longer the storm lingers, the more pressure it is putting on the levees and other flood-protection systems along the coast. | The longer the storm lingers, the more pressure it is putting on the levees and other flood-protection systems along the coast. |
| The National Weather Service said that the slow passage of the storm brought a heightened risk of tornadoes and flash flooding hundreds of miles inland from Louisiana, and across Mississippi and Alabama to Florida. | The National Weather Service said that the slow passage of the storm brought a heightened risk of tornadoes and flash flooding hundreds of miles inland from Louisiana, and across Mississippi and Alabama to Florida. |
| The storm’s maximum sustained wind speeds have slowed from 80 miles per hour during the morning and are expected to weaken further as the system moves inland. | The storm’s maximum sustained wind speeds have slowed from 80 miles per hour during the morning and are expected to weaken further as the system moves inland. |
| In Jefferson Parish, there was anxiety about two communities not protected by levees: Grand Isle and Lafitte. | In Jefferson Parish, there was anxiety about two communities not protected by levees: Grand Isle and Lafitte. |
| Mandatory evacuations had been ordered in both places, but while only about 30 residents remained in Grand Isle as the storm bore down, far fewer had heeded the warning in Lafitte. | Mandatory evacuations had been ordered in both places, but while only about 30 residents remained in Grand Isle as the storm bore down, far fewer had heeded the warning in Lafitte. |
| “Many people, especially the people who live down there, didn’t have a whole lot of concern” initially, with the system at only tropical storm strength, said Deano Bonano, an aide to a parish councilman. “Then it ramped up pretty quickly.” | “Many people, especially the people who live down there, didn’t have a whole lot of concern” initially, with the system at only tropical storm strength, said Deano Bonano, an aide to a parish councilman. “Then it ramped up pretty quickly.” |
| By late Tuesday night, two feet of water had inundated parts of Grand Isle, a barrier island. There was significantly less flooding in Lafitte. Though the storm’s direction had helped by pushing water out, that direction may change later Wednesday, and flooding there was likely. | By late Tuesday night, two feet of water had inundated parts of Grand Isle, a barrier island. There was significantly less flooding in Lafitte. Though the storm’s direction had helped by pushing water out, that direction may change later Wednesday, and flooding there was likely. |
| This storm is the first test of a $14.5 billion, 133-mile ring of levees, flood walls, gates and pumps installed after Hurricane Katrina by the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency that built the defenses that failed New Orleans catastrophically in 2005. | This storm is the first test of a $14.5 billion, 133-mile ring of levees, flood walls, gates and pumps installed after Hurricane Katrina by the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency that built the defenses that failed New Orleans catastrophically in 2005. |
| President Obama was receiving briefings on the storm by phone as he finished a two-day campaign swing to three college campuses in three states. | President Obama was receiving briefings on the storm by phone as he finished a two-day campaign swing to three college campuses in three states. |
| Mr. Obama also spoke on a conference call with Governor Jindal, Gov. Robert Bentley of Alabama, Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi and Mitch Landrieu, mayor of New Orleans. | Mr. Obama also spoke on a conference call with Governor Jindal, Gov. Robert Bentley of Alabama, Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi and Mitch Landrieu, mayor of New Orleans. |
| Sensitive on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina to the political perils of appearing out of touch, the White House released a statement that Mr. Obama had directed FEMA to provide all resources needed by local and state authorities. | Sensitive on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina to the political perils of appearing out of touch, the White House released a statement that Mr. Obama had directed FEMA to provide all resources needed by local and state authorities. |
| “The president asked the governors to continue to identify any additional needs if they arise as the effects of Isaac and the response efforts continue,” the White House statement said. | “The president asked the governors to continue to identify any additional needs if they arise as the effects of Isaac and the response efforts continue,” the White House statement said. |
| While the current storm is nowhere near as powerful as Hurricane Katrina, its pounding, driving rains and surging waves are lashing towns from east of Morgan City, La., to the Mississippi-Alabama border. | While the current storm is nowhere near as powerful as Hurricane Katrina, its pounding, driving rains and surging waves are lashing towns from east of Morgan City, La., to the Mississippi-Alabama border. |
| Waters from the gulf pushed onto the coast through the night in Mississippi and Alabama, where thousands had lost power and 60 m.p.h. winds knocked out transformers and stripped palm trees. Several inches of rain fell overnight, flooding parts of the small cities along the coast. The Mississippi Gaming Commission ordered the 12 casinos along the coast to close. | Waters from the gulf pushed onto the coast through the night in Mississippi and Alabama, where thousands had lost power and 60 m.p.h. winds knocked out transformers and stripped palm trees. Several inches of rain fell overnight, flooding parts of the small cities along the coast. The Mississippi Gaming Commission ordered the 12 casinos along the coast to close. |
| The authorities in Mississippi have reported making a number of rescues, including that of a family with a 6-month-old baby and a dog who had been living on a houseboat on the Pearl River near the Mississippi-Louisiana border. | The authorities in Mississippi have reported making a number of rescues, including that of a family with a 6-month-old baby and a dog who had been living on a houseboat on the Pearl River near the Mississippi-Louisiana border. |
| On Wednesday, Biloxi, Miss., was being hammered by bands of wind and rain. A curfew had been extended to noon, and the city’s streets were virtually empty. The police were stopping the few drivers on the streets. | On Wednesday, Biloxi, Miss., was being hammered by bands of wind and rain. A curfew had been extended to noon, and the city’s streets were virtually empty. The police were stopping the few drivers on the streets. |
| The coast itself was a study of gray on gray: It was impossible to determine where the gulf’s waters ended and the overcast skies began. | The coast itself was a study of gray on gray: It was impossible to determine where the gulf’s waters ended and the overcast skies began. |
| Paul and Kim Punzo, who live just across the street from the banks of the Biloxi River, had water up to their driveway. Mr. Punzo expected three more feet. | Paul and Kim Punzo, who live just across the street from the banks of the Biloxi River, had water up to their driveway. Mr. Punzo expected three more feet. |
| “It’s all in the timing, with the storm surge and the high tide, so we’ll keep watching it,” said Mr. Punzo, 44. “We’ve got our kayaks tied to the porch, and we’re ready to go.” | “It’s all in the timing, with the storm surge and the high tide, so we’ll keep watching it,” said Mr. Punzo, 44. “We’ve got our kayaks tied to the porch, and we’re ready to go.” |
| Their house is a couple of feet off the ground. The only time it has flooded was during Hurricane Katrina, he said, when three feet of river water filled the two-bedroom house. | Their house is a couple of feet off the ground. The only time it has flooded was during Hurricane Katrina, he said, when three feet of river water filled the two-bedroom house. |
| The couple had sent three of their children to stay with relatives who are either on higher ground or who have brick homes. But the Punzos stayed, waking up happy that the storm had not caused major damage through the night. | The couple had sent three of their children to stay with relatives who are either on higher ground or who have brick homes. But the Punzos stayed, waking up happy that the storm had not caused major damage through the night. |
| “If it was a Category 3 we would have probably done left, but this isn’t going to be as bad as some we’ve seen,” Mr. Punzo said. “If you wasn’t from here you’d be scared, but for those of us who have been through it time and time and time again, this is like a doubled-up summer thunderstorm.” | “If it was a Category 3 we would have probably done left, but this isn’t going to be as bad as some we’ve seen,” Mr. Punzo said. “If you wasn’t from here you’d be scared, but for those of us who have been through it time and time and time again, this is like a doubled-up summer thunderstorm.” |
| Before the storm’s arrival on Tuesday, mandatory evacuations had been imposed in parts of eight parishes in Louisiana and in low-lying areas of Mississippi. The Red Cross had opened 19 shelters in Mississippi and Alabama and 18 in Louisiana. | Before the storm’s arrival on Tuesday, mandatory evacuations had been imposed in parts of eight parishes in Louisiana and in low-lying areas of Mississippi. The Red Cross had opened 19 shelters in Mississippi and Alabama and 18 in Louisiana. |
| In Alabama, extensive flooding is likely in Bayou La Batre, a town in Mobile County, as well as parts of downtown Mobile, according to the National Weather Service. Several of the rivers flowing into Mobile Bay are also expected to flood. | In Alabama, extensive flooding is likely in Bayou La Batre, a town in Mobile County, as well as parts of downtown Mobile, according to the National Weather Service. Several of the rivers flowing into Mobile Bay are also expected to flood. |
| John Schwartz, Campbell Robertson and David Thier reported from New Orleans, and Kim Severson from Biloxi, Miss. Timothy Williams and Christine Hauser contributed reporting from New York, and Jackie Calmes and John H. Cushman Jr. from Washington. | |
John Schwartz, Campbell Robertson and David Thier reported from New Orleans, and Kim Severson from Biloxi, Miss. Timothy Williams and Christine Hauser contributed reporting from New York, Jackie Calmes from Charlottesville, Va., and John H. Cushman Jr. from Washington. |