Hurricane Isaac to Hit New Orleans

Seven years after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, it looks like the people here are going to have to face Isaac.

The tropical storm reached hurricane strengths earlier on yesterday as it had winds of 80mph when it hit the cost less than 100 miles away from New Orleans. Today it has hit land again near Port Fourchon with the winds still of the same speed.

Isaac is a category one storm and although it isn’t as powerful as Katrina was there is a threat of flooding to the coasts of four states, with torrential rain and high winds.

Since Katrina hit there have been significant improvements to water defences in New Orleans which should stop another situation of the same scale.

Many people have decided to leave to find some safety although there has been no formal evacuation order. This is a result of Katrina, people just won’t risk it. However, some residents in Louisiana have been told to leave.

This means leaving behind, homes that will be boarded up to protect what is inside including air conditioning units. It could be expensive to replace them on top of everything else that may get damaged.

The mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu has said, “Do not let this storm lull you into complacency- that would be a terrible mistake.

“We have dodged one bullet in the sense that this is not a category three storm but a category one at this strength from 85mph to 100mph winds with a 125mph gust is plenty big enough to put a big hurt on you.”