Tropical Storm Francine, initially classified as a hurricane, moved into the southern United States on Thursday, leaving many residents without electricity and raising fears of serious flooding.
Local television stations broadcast images of towns devastated by the storm, with some streets flooded and residents protecting their properties with sandbags.
More than 380,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana by morning, according to the website poweroutage.us, which tracks power outages.
Nearby states in Mississippi and Alabama are also beginning to feel the effects of the storm, with more than 75,000 homes and businesses without power.
“Heavy rainfall is spreading across Mississippi, Alabama and northern Florida,” the National Weather Service (NWS) warned in its 12:00 GMT bulletin.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the storm is expected to weaken as it moves inland.
Francine made landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon (22:00 GMT) as a Category 2 hurricane on a scale of 5, before being downgraded to Category 1, according to the NHC.
A few hours later, Francine was classified as a tropical storm, with winds of 85 km/h, causing a rise in sea level of one to two meters and torrential rains in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
The New Orleans metropolitan area was particularly vulnerable, with the mayor urging residents to shelter in place. This large Louisiana city was particularly hard hit in August 2005 by Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest in US history, with more than 1,800 deaths.
– Schools closed –
In Louisiana, many communities have issued evacuation orders. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the state, a move that frees up federal funds to help local authorities.
Schools and universities around Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, decided to close on Friday.
In Houma, a small town southwest of New Orleans, residents were busy preparing for the hurricane’s arrival. “We want to make sure they have gas for their generators and that they have essential supplies with them,” Alicia B., manager of a gas station that remained open, told AFP.
On the streets, sandbags were placed at the entrances to buildings to prevent water from entering.
Members of the state’s National Guard had indicated that they were on alert with 32 helicopters, 387 vehicles and 87 boats mobilized to provide assistance. 1.1 million liters of water had been stored, ready to be distributed if necessary, they said in X.
The National Hurricane Center is keeping a constant watch on the storm, including by sending aircraft to fly over its heart.
According to forecasts by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the end of May, the North Atlantic hurricane season (June to November) will be particularly turbulent this year, mainly due to warm ocean waters.
This year has already been marked by three hurricanes, including Beryl and Debby, which caused dozens of deaths in the Caribbean.
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