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US coast prepares for hurricane US coast gets set amid storm fear
(about 2 hours later)
Fears of a hurricane have prompted the US state of Louisiana to declare a state of emergency and New Orleans to prepare plans for evacuation. Fears of a major storm have prompted New Orleans to prepare evacuation plans, three years after the US city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Tropical storm Gustav, downgraded from a hurricane, has resulted in more than 20 deaths in Haiti, and is now heading for Cuba and the Cayman Islands. Tropical storm Gustav, downgraded from a hurricane, has resulted in more than 20 deaths in Haiti, and is now heading towards Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
Residents have boarded up homes as weather forecasters warn that the storm could return to hurricane strength. Residents there have boarded up homes as forecasters warn the storm could return to hurricane strength by Friday.
Gustav is expected to head towards the US, but it not clear where it will hit.Gustav is expected to head towards the US, but it not clear where it will hit.
Oil workers in the Gulf Coast were being evacuated from oil rigs. Meteorologists say it could make landfall anywhere from south Texas to Florida by Monday.
Oil prices on trading markets rose amid forecasts that by Sunday Gustav could again be a hurricane and threaten oil installations in the Gulf of Mexico. Workers were being evacuated from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.
A hurricane watch remains in place for Jamaica and Cuba. name="link"> class="bodl" href="#map">See map of the region Oil prices on trading markets rose amid forecasts that Gustav could strengthen and threaten oil installations in the region.
In Cuba, ex-President Fidel Castro issued an essay mentioning the hurricane and pledging that the government in Havana "guarantees no-one will be forgotten". 'Life-threatening floods'
At 2000 local time (0000 GMT) the centre of the storm was 100km (65 miles) south of Guantanamo, Cuba, according to the US National Hurricane Center. name="link">
With maximum winds of 75km/h (45mph), it is moving west at about 11 Km/h (7mph) and is expected to increase in speed within the next 24 hours. At 0200 local time (0600 GMT) the centre of the storm was 80 miles (130km) north-east of Jamaica's capital, Kingston, US National Hurricane Center in Florida said.
The centre warns that once Gustav moves further from Haiti it could regain hurricane strength. The storms is also expected to produce heavy rainfall, up to 25 inches in some places, over Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and the Caymans, the forecasters said. class="bodl" href="#map">See map of the region
"These rains will likely produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides," they warned. With maximum winds of 75km/h (45mph), it was moving south-west at about 13 Km/h (8mph) and was expected to pass very close to Jamaica later on Thursday.
Louisiana and New Orleans, in the US, were making their own preparations ahead of Gustav's arrival. A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning remain in effect for Jamaica.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard. A hurricane watch is also in effect for all the Cayman Islands, although Cuba has replaced a hurricane warning for its eastern Granma province with a tropical storm warning.
New Orleans has started planning a possible mandatory evacuation, hoping to prevent the chaos it saw after Hurricane Katrina, which struck the city three years ago on Friday. The centre warns that Gustav is also expected to produce heavy rainfall - up to 25 inches (64cm) in some places - over Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and the Caymans.
"These rains will likely produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides," it said.
Meanwhile, the US state of Louisiana and New Orleans are making their own preparations ahead of Gustav's arrival.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard.
New Orleans has also begun planning a possible mandatory evacuation, hoping to prevent the chaos it saw after Katrina, which struck the city three years ago on Friday.
Gustav is the seventh tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.Gustav is the seventh tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
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Have you been affected by Gustav? Are you preparing for its arrival? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.Have you been affected by Gustav? Are you preparing for its arrival? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
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