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| US Gulf states prepare for storm | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Weather forecasters in the US have warned that a tropical storm could gain near-hurricane strength winds before reaching Texas or Louisiana. | Weather forecasters in the US have warned that a tropical storm could gain near-hurricane strength winds before reaching Texas or Louisiana. |
| The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Tropical Storm Edouard was crossing the Gulf of Mexico and could make landfall by Tuesday morning. | |
| The governor of Louisiana declared a state of emergency as winds reached sustained speeds of 45mph (75 km/h). | |
| Oil workers have left some offshore rigs but no damage has been reported. | |
| Evacuations | |
| A hurricane watch is in place from west of Intracoastal City, in western Louisiana, to Port O'Connor in Texas, south-west of Galveston. | |
| About 6,000 residents of two communities in western Louisiana had been asked to evacuate low-lying coastal areas. | |
| The mayor of Galveston has not ordered an evacuation but has asked residents and visitors to be prepared. | |
| A hurricane watch is in place as Tropical Storm Edouard approaches | |
| A storm is considered to be a hurricane once its winds reach an average speed of at least 74mph (119 km/h), according to the NHC. | |
| The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port has stopped offloading tankers and two oil firms were evacuating workers from platforms, Reuters news agency said. | The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port has stopped offloading tankers and two oil firms were evacuating workers from platforms, Reuters news agency said. |
| Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell said they were removing employees from rigs as a precaution, but both insisted that production had not been affected. | Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell said they were removing employees from rigs as a precaution, but both insisted that production had not been affected. |
| Oil prices dropped below $120 a barrel on Monday for the first time since early May as it appeared unlikely that the storm would significantly affect oil and gas facilities. | |
| The Houston Ship Channel has also closed. | The Houston Ship Channel has also closed. |
| Hurricane Dolly | |
| At 1300 CDT (1900 BST) Edouard was 145 miles (230km) south-southeast of Lafayette, Louisiana and 240 miles (390km) east-southeast of Galveston, Texas, a statement by the NHC said. | |
| "Edouard could be nearing hurricane strength before reaching the coastline," it added. | "Edouard could be nearing hurricane strength before reaching the coastline," it added. |
| Rainfall of 3ins to 5ins (7.6cm to (12.7cm) was predicted in Louisiana, and up to 10 inches (25.4cm) in Texas. | Rainfall of 3ins to 5ins (7.6cm to (12.7cm) was predicted in Louisiana, and up to 10 inches (25.4cm) in Texas. |
| With winds extending outwards from the centre of a tropical storm for 35 miles (75km), residents were braced for the second bout of severe weather to batter the Gulf's coastline in a month. | With winds extending outwards from the centre of a tropical storm for 35 miles (75km), residents were braced for the second bout of severe weather to batter the Gulf's coastline in a month. |
| On 24 July, a state of disaster was declared in 14 Texas counties when Hurricane Dolly lashed the state's coast with winds of 100mph (161km/h). | |
| The Gulf of Mexico supplies about 25% of the US's crude oil. | The Gulf of Mexico supplies about 25% of the US's crude oil. |