(Houma) The Hurricane Francine made landfall in Louisiana in the southern United States on Wednesday, sweeping the coast with strong winds and bringing heavy rains that have raised fears of dangerous flooding.
” Francine “The hurricane continues to move inland across southern Louisiana,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its bulletin issued at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, urging local residents to stay indoors “away from windows.”
“Heavy rain and gusty winds are extending across the New Orleans metropolitan area,” the agency added. The Louisiana city was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
PHOTO EDMUND FOUNTAIN, REUTERS
Trailers, boats and campers were abandoned on Highway 46 in Louisiana on Wednesday.
Francine made landfall Wednesday afternoon as a Category 2 hurricane on a scale of 5, before being downgraded to Category 1.
“Conditions are expected to continue to deteriorate over the next few hours,” the NHC warned.
Images broadcast by local television stations and circulating on social media showed flooded streets, damaged buildings and fallen trees. More than 260,000 homes were without power in the evening, according to the website poweroutage.us.
PHOTO EDMUND FOUNTAIN, REUTERS
Powerful waves were visible Wednesday at Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana.
Even before the hurricane made landfall, heavy rainfall had begun to fall on the coast in the Mississippi Sound region.
The hurricane could bring up to 12 inches of rain in some areas, leading to possible flash flooding, including in cities, authorities warned. Sea levels could temporarily rise by up to 10 feet, the NHC forecast.
In Louisiana, many localities have announced evacuation orders. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the state on Tuesday, a move that frees up federal funds to help local authorities.
Sandbag
“The window to prepare for the storm is now closed,” the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness said earlier Wednesday. “We encourage everyone to stay in a safe place until the storm leaves the area.”
In Houma, a small town southwest of New Orleans, residents were busy preparing for the hurricane. “We want to make sure they have gas for their generators and they have essentials with them,” Alicia B., manager of a gas station that remained open, told AFP.
In the streets, sandbags have been placed at the entrances to buildings to prevent water from entering.
The state National Guard said it was ready to intervene with 32 helicopters, 387 vehicles and 87 vessels mobilized to provide assistance. Some 1.1 million liters of water are stored and ready to be distributed if needed, they indicated on X.
Beryl And Debby
The Texas coast and parts of Mississippi are also likely to be affected, but to a lesser extent.
Francine should quickly lose power after making landfall. The hurricane will then move northward.
” Francine expected to cause torrential rains and risk of flash flooding […] in southern Louisiana, Mississippi, extreme southern Alabama and the Florida corridor through Thursday night,” the NHC said Wednesday.
The National Hurricane Center is constantly monitoring the storm, including sending planes into the heart of it.
According to forecasts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the end of May, the hurricane season in the North Atlantic – which runs from the beginning of June to the end of November – is expected to be particularly turbulent this year, in particular because of the heat of the oceans, which fuels hurricanes.
This season has already been marked by three hurricanes, including Beryl And Debbywhich left several dozen dead.