MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Louisiana is preparing for Hurricane Francine. The storm intensified late yesterday into a Category 1 hurricane, fueled by the record warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Francine's track has also shifted eastward, and other Gulf Coast states are now in its path. NPR's Debbie Elliott is in New Orleans watching how it develops, and she's with us now. Good morning, Debbie.
DEBBIE ELLIOTT, BYLINE: Good morning.
MARTIN: So what's the latest on where Francine is headed? And what do we think about what kind of damage it'll bring?
ELLIOTT: You know, the biggest threats are a coastal storm surge of up to 10 feet. There'll be flash flooding in a region that's already pretty saturated and then hurricane-force winds that can topple trees and power lines and will be causing some structural damage to buildings. This is a wide hurricane, so these impacts will affect a large stretch of the Gulf Coast, including in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and even into the Florida panhandle. The National Hurricane Center has Francine coming ashore by this evening somewhere near Morgan City in south Louisiana. That means New Orleans is on the so-called dirty side of the storm - east of the eye, where the effects can be intense.
MARTIN: So what are conditions like there now?
ELLIOTT: You know, it's intermittent rain and gusty winds as the outer bands of the storm approach here in New Orleans. Yesterday, I had a hard time, you know, keeping an umbrella open against the wind. Driving in, I noticed that the waves were really churned up on Lake Pontchartrain. It looked more like the Gulf than a lake, and forecasters are predicting up to a 6-foot storm surge there. Conditions will be deteriorating, however, throughout the day.
MARTIN: So how are people preparing?
ELLIOTT: You know, schools are closed, so are city hall, courts, most government services. Hospitals are now putting into play emergency plans in case of power outages. You know, the city is urging residents and visitors to shelter in place for the duration of the hurricane. I noticed that some conferences were canceling their events today and tomorrow here in the city. Mayor LaToya Cantrell has declared an emergency in the city. The city is activating its system to find people who don't have housing and get them into designated shelters. Yesterday in a news conference, Cantrell said that the city and its residents need to invest in being disaster-ready.
(SOUNDBITE OF PRESS CONFERENCE)
LATOYA CANTRELL: We know the future and sustainability of New Orleans again depends on all of us in terms of how we adapt to climate that has already changed.
MARTIN: And, Debbie, what about preparations at the federal and state levels?
ELLIOTT: Well, news came in late last night that President Biden had approved a federal disaster declaration that was requested by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. That will free up federal resources to help in the response. And then in the state, the National Guard is deployed with search and rescue gear and supplies, including high-water vehicles, boats, helicopters, food and water, that kind of thing. The Coast Guard is also ready to respond. Officials along the coast have ordered evacuations in vulnerable areas - barrier islands and low-lying communities - as well as places that are not protected by levees. Some places, including Morgan City, have put into place curfews.
MARTIN: And, you know, they've had a lot of practice getting ready for hurricanes.
ELLIOTT: Right. This region took a lot of hits in recent years. Many recall that Category 4 Hurricane Ida in 2021. This is not going to be quite as severe. And the Gulf Coast has been very vigilant because forecasters expected a supercharged Atlantic hurricane season, and we're right at the peak right now with this, the sixth named storm of the year.
MARTIN: That is NPR's Debbie Elliott in New Orleans. Debbie, thank you.
ELLIOTT: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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