Thousands in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were being told early Monday to leave their Gulf Coast homes ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Isaac as forecasters warned it was gaining strength as it followed the same path Hurricane Katrina took seven years earlier.
The governors of the three states each declared a state of emergency, with Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley ordering mandatory evacuations to begin at 8 a.m. CT (9 a.m. ET) for residents who live along the coast and for those in some low-lying areas inland.
"I am urging everyone to take precautions now, monitor weather warnings, and be prepared for whatever Isaac may bring," Bentley said in a statement released Sunday.
A hurricane warning was issued for the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, from Morgan City, Louisiana, east to Destin, Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.
The tropical storm was expected to make landfall late Tuesday or Wednesday - Katrina's anniversary - as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of at least 96 mph.
FULL STORY
This is. Pretty eerie. I hope it doesn't rain.
REally scary.
Good morning Banasy, I'm sorry you missed Evanescence, maybe you should check out Sirenia. They have plenty of good songs for blowin off steam. I had a strange feeling this would be a repeat of Katrina, first just like Katrina they couldn't figure out where it was going. Then they didn't think Katrina would blow up to a cat.5. Even though they say it was a cat 3 when it hit land it still had the storm surge of a cat 5. When a tsunami happens the wave will travel around the world and not lose much power. I'm leaving New Orleans in a few houts to help my dad board up his house in slidell. If Isaac stays cat 2 or below I will be safe there. Cat 2 or above and I will be headed to Galveston to visit my brother. Just to make you laugh the number 2 foreman at my job had his truck worked on and got a full size king cab for a rental so he wouldn't have to strap his dog to the roof of his truck. I told him that if the next president can.do it so can he.
Thanks, Hamsta, I intend to check out Sirenia.
I'm hoping they reschedule.
I hope that Isaac doesn't cause as much devastation; I also hope that if you do get evacuated, you *go*!
You belongings can be replaced; YOU can't, though.
Jonathan Vilma, Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis, and Greg Williams: you gotta love karma! Go get 'em Isaac!
Update from a worried mom! My daughter was in New Orleans visiting her dads family on her way to Tampa.With so much conflicting information about Issac and my 20 year old telling me to take a chill pill that all is well, I was growing increasingly worried. I received word this morning that the family evacuated last night after having survived Katrina. Apparently they drove to North Carolina and she will leave from Raleigh to Tampa this afternoon. I hope our friends and fellow bloggers check in when they can and do what they have to do to stay safe.
Your daughter should be nicer to you and more respectful. I hope you slap or cuss her out the next time you see her. Young people are just getting too rude these days. Parents need to smack em.
Mother Nature farts (Tropical Storm) and everyone goes into panic mode. God, I do love the paranoia within human nature!
Your daughter is very lucky to have a kind, caring mom like yourself. She shouldn't be telling you to take a chill pill. She should thank you for being concerned about her well being. I'm very sorry she acted rude to you. Maybe one day she will learn to appreciate those who care about her.
Emily is a troll. Emily is a troll. Get under your bridge in Nawlins troll.
No thanks trolls, I don't need your advice.
I wish you luck locating your daughter, I hope she is somewhere safe.
If my 20 year old acted like that to me, I'd say no more college money for them. Let them go out and work like I had to do. Young people are way to spoiled these days. And rude. That's what we get for not disciplining our children properly when they are younger. Remember – spare the rod and spoil the child. Then you'll end up with a little ungrateful hippie.
Please don't let your girl get too out of hand. Even though she is 20, you can still cut off the cash or even threaten to take her out of the will. If she gets ugly, you can give all her things to GoodWill. Giving their stuff away gets their attention.
It's eerily similar and scary because there are people who would actually Vote to return to the same policies under Romney that Bush used to CRIPPLE the Nation and make the worst out of catastrophes like Katrina. They defunded programs for maintaining the levees and it will happen again under Romnney/Ryan..
That's right! Wasn't Bush a dope? It's the federal government's job to preserve below sea-level ghettos and make evacuation plans. It's certainly not mayor Ray Nagun's or Governor Kathleen Blanco's job. As a staatist, I hold the central government responsible for everything. George Bush caused the drought, too, and this hurricane, if it causes any damage, will be his fault.
I just saw it on tv too. I am so sorry Scared!
This ain't Philip, not even a decent imitation. Trollololol
Is everyone a troll here> Every answer to dazzle is the product of a diseased mind. Get under your brigde!
There is a theory that these hurricans take the same rout as slave ships did is that true??