Hurricane Nate is gaining strength as the fast-moving storm that killed 25 people in Central America is moving toward the U.S. Gulf Coast Saturday with a likely landfall Saturday night or early Sunday. Louisiana and Mississippi declared states of emergency and New Orleans evacuated some residents as it looks like Nate will be the third hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland in six weeks.
The National Hurricane Center warned Nate could strengthen before hitting the northern Gulf Coast. But so far at least Nate is weak compared to recent hurricanes, packing winds of 85mph and officially a Category 1, but officials warned it could still cause severe damage. “No one should take this storm lightly. It has already claimed the lives of at least 20 people,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday. “We do want people to be very, very cautious and to not take this storm for granted.”
The hurricane could spark a storm surge up to nine feet and warning are in effect from Grand Isle, Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border. The storm’s wide reach and strong winds means it could down power lines and trees from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle and leave at least 1 million people without electricity .
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced a mandatory curfew starting at 6 p.m. Saturday to prepare for overnight flooding. Hurricane Nate is expected to make landfall around Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana, which is near to where Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. So far though it seems the biggest risk from the hurricane will be storm surge and winds rather than intense rain, which is good news for New Orleans and its fragile pumping system.
