As it prepares to mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has been forced to draw up an emergency evacuation plan to deal with tropical storm Gustav, which is was predicted to reach hurricane strength in the Gulf of Mexico.

The storm has already killed 22 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and today it moved away from the Central American coast and into the Caribbean.

The eye of the storm was expected to pass Jamaica today as it sweeps towards the United States. The National Hurricane Centre in Miami predicts that it will grow in power as it approaches Louisiana over the weekend.

US National Guard troops are standing by as residents prepare to mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Ray Nagin, the mayor of New Orleans, left the Democratic National Convention in Denver to return home for the preparations.

Some of the residents, who were displaced personally or knew victims of Katrina, were watching the weather forecast with trepidation.

“I’m panicking,” said Evelyn Fuselier of Chalmette, whose home was submerged in 14 feet of floodwater when Katrina hit.

Ms Fuselier returned to her house exactly one year ago, and now she is terrified that her ordeal could be repeated: “I keep thinking: Did the Corps fix the levees? Is my house going to flood again? Am I going to have to go through all this again?”

[Continue reading]

Update:  Gustav kills 67, New Orleans on evacuation standby

Update:  Gustav kills nearly 70, aims at New Orleans

Popularity: 17% [?]