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Louisiana evacuation ordered over Isaac dam break fear Isaac-battered barriers intentionally breached
(about 2 hours later)
Louisiana officials have ordered people to evacuate an area in the south-east of the state because a dam has been damaged by Hurricane Isaac. Officials have begun a controlled release of water at a Mississippi dam that was battered by Hurricane Isaac.
An estimated 50,000 people live downstream of the Lake Tangipahoa Dam in Mississippi, which has been damaged but is currently intact. Tens of thousands residents are being evacuated in Louisiana downstream of the barrier at Lake Tangipahoa, which is damaged but remains intact.
Isaac, now a tropical storm, dumped huge amounts of rain in recent days. The slow-moving Isaac continues to dump huge amounts of rain, despite being downgraded to a tropical storm.
Officials are worried the damaged dam, some 100 miles (161km) north of New Orleans, could add to a swollen river. A similar breach was carried out on a levee just outside New Orleans that has been under pressure from flood waters.
Water overtopped the 8ft (2.4m) levee at Plaquemines Parish on Wednesday, prompting major flooding. The barrier is not part of the federal system.
Plaquemines was one of the areas hardest-hit by the storm. Many residents stayed, believing they could ride out a far weaker storm than Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Homeowners on roofs
Residents with boats have been plucking people from the roofs of their homes.
Meanwhile, up to 50,000 residents are being evacuated in south-eastern Louisiana downstream of the impaired dam at Lake Tangipahoa. There are fears the barrier could fail, flooding an already swollen river.
Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess told local broadcaster WWL that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal had ordered buses to the area to help evacuate residents.Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess told local broadcaster WWL that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal had ordered buses to the area to help evacuate residents.
'Threat to life'
Over 7,000 National Guard troops, the US reserve armed forces, have been called into service across four states, the majority in Louisiana.
Mr Jindal activated all Louisiana Guardsmen on Wednesday, which would bring total forces in the state to more than 8,000. They have helped rescue or evacuate more than 3,000 people in the state since the storm hit.
In the town of Amite, Louisiana, Police Chief Jerry Trabona said officers were going door-to-door to houses along the Tangipahoa River.In the town of Amite, Louisiana, Police Chief Jerry Trabona said officers were going door-to-door to houses along the Tangipahoa River.
On Twitter, Louisiana officials quoted state Governor href="https://twitter.com/GOHSEP/status/241214108941307904" >Bobby Jindal as saying Mississippi was considering a "controlled breach" of the dam to relieve pressure. The controlled release was expected to limit flood damage.
Although no longer a hurricane, Isaac still poses a threat to life because of storm surges, floods and tornadoes, the National Hurricane Center says. More than 7,000 National Guard troops, the US reserve armed forces, have been called into service across four states, the majority in Louisiana.
At 13:00 local time (18:00 GMT), Isaac was 25km (40 miles) south-west of Monroe, Louisiana, moving at 9 mph (15km/h), href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/301740.shtml" >according to the National Hurricane Center. Gov Jindal activated all Louisiana guardsmen on Wednesday, which would bring total forces in the state to more than 8,000. They have helped rescue or evacuate more than 3,000 people in the state since the storm hit.
The storm struck New Orleans on Wednesday, on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the region and killed at least 1,800 people in the Gulf Coast area. By 1600 local time (2100 GMT) on Thursday, Isaac had weakened further to a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35mph miles (55km/h), href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/301740.shtml" >according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
But Isaac could still dump up to 14in (35cm) of rain over much of Louisiana, Mississippi, south-west Alabama and Arkansas through till Friday. Some areas could see rainfall of up to 25in, the NHC said.
The storm pummeled New Orleans on Wednesday, on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the region and killed at least 1,800 people in the Gulf Coast area.
Defence systems built to protect the city passed their first major test, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.Defence systems built to protect the city passed their first major test, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.
But along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, just north of the New Orleans, dozens of buses and high-water vehicles were sent to evacuate some 3,000 people as waters rose fast - it was waist-high in some areas, the Associated Press news agency reports.
In one of the hardest-hit areas, Plaquemines, local boatmen plucked people from the roofs of their homes, many of whom had remained believing they could ride out what seemed a far smaller storm than Katrina.
President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing federal funds to be released to local authorities.
By Thursday morning, more than one million residents of Louisiana and Mississippi were without power due to Isaac, according to the US department of energy.By Thursday morning, more than one million residents of Louisiana and Mississippi were without power due to Isaac, according to the US department of energy.
Isaac is expected to move further inland over the next several days before breaking up during the weekend. Isaac is expected to move further inland over the next several days before breaking up over the weekend.
The storm killed at least 24 people as it passed over Haiti and the Dominican Republic earlier this week.The storm killed at least 24 people as it passed over Haiti and the Dominican Republic earlier this week.
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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