The Maui News - Weekender

Tropical storm

Millions on Barry’s path

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — People boarded up buildings, stocked up on water and braced for torrents of rain and punishing wind from Tropical Storm Barry that threatened millions as it churned a path ashore and tested efforts to guard against flooding since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans 14 years ago.

Officials predicted Barry would make landfall this morning near Morgan City as the first hurricane of the season, with the edges of the storm already lashing Louisiana with rain and leaving some coastal roads underwater.

Though expected to be a weak hurricane, just barely over the 74 mph wind speed threshold, it threatened disastrous flooding across a swath of the Gulf Coast. The storm was expected to inflict the most damage on Louisiana and parts of Mississipp­i, with wind and rain affecting more than 3 million people.

Late Friday night, residents received good news: the Mississipp­i River is expected to crest in New Orleans at about 17.1 feet on Monday, not 19 feet as had been earlier predicted. The levees range from about 20 to 25 feet in height.

Governors declared emergencie­s in both states, and authoritie­s closed floodgates and raisied barriers around New Orleans.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said it was the first time all floodgates were sealed since Katrina. Still, he said he didn’t expect the Mississipp­i River to spill over the levees despite water levels already running abnormally high from heavy spring rains.

Authoritie­s told at least 10,000 people in exposed, low-lying areas along the Gulf Coast to leave, but no evacuation­s were ordered in New Orleans, where officials urged residents to “shelter in place.”

Before they did, people stocked up on bottled water, food and other essentials.

Lifelong New Orleans resident Terrence Williams grabbed supplies at a Costco, saying he has a few simple rules for big storms.

“Stock up on water. Stock up food. Get ready for the storm — ride it out,” he said.

Scott Daley, 55, maneuvered two shopping carts filled with bottled water, gallons of milk and frozen meat at a Walmart in Lake Charles, in southweste­rn Louisiana.

“I’ve got five small children at the house. So we’re just hunkering down,” he said.

Forecaster­s said slow-moving Barry could unload 10 to 20 inches of rain through Sunday across a swath of Louisiana that includes New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and southweste­rn Mississipp­i, with pockets getting 25 inches.

“It’s powerful. It’s strengthen­ing. And water is going to be a big issue,” National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham warned.

Workers also shored up and raised the levee system in places with beams, sheet metal and other barriers.

Rescue crews and about 3,000 National Guard troops were posted around Louisiana with boats, high-water vehicles and helicopter­s. President Donald Trump declared a federal emergency for Louisiana, authorizin­g federal agencies to coordinate relief efforts.

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 ?? AP photo ?? Sandbags block the door of the famous Brennan’s restaurant in the New Orleans French Quarter Friday as tourists hurry by with their luggage and bands of rain from Tropical Storm Barry move into the city.
AP photo Sandbags block the door of the famous Brennan’s restaurant in the New Orleans French Quarter Friday as tourists hurry by with their luggage and bands of rain from Tropical Storm Barry move into the city.

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