Washington: Louisiana's Indian American Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency as the US Gulf Coast braces for the arrival of
Hurricane Ida.
Ida weakened early today to a Category 1 storm, and could make landfall as early as Tuesday morning. The storm was expected to weaken further but remain a hurricane as it approaches the coast.
A hurricane watch is in effect from south eastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandel, meaning hurricane conditions were possible in the next day and a half. However, New Orleans was not included in the watch area.
The declaration is a precaution that allows state officials to put the National Guard and other resources on alert, KTAL News Channel reported.
The Hurricane is making its way across the Gulf of Mexico as a category 2 storm.
Yesterday, Ida was about 155 kilometres west of Cuba and had already lashed parts of Central America.
Last year, Hurricane Gustav caused an estimated two million people to flee inland from the Louisiana coast.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, November 09, 2009, 20:32