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Gustav changes Republican plans Gustav changes Republican plans
(about 2 hours later)
Republican presidential candidate John McCain has suspended most events planned for day one of his party's convention because of Hurricane Gustav. The US Republican party's convention has been scaled back as nearly 2m people flee Hurricane Gustav, which is now nearing New Orleans.
The convention, due to begin on Monday in Minneapolis, was scaled down as the fierce storm approached New Orleans. Senator John McCain, due to accept his party's nomination for president, said it was no time for party politics.
Gustav, now a Category Three storm, is due to make landfall on Monday. The Category Three storm is in the Gulf of Mexico, due to make landfall soon.
Residents of New Orleans have been told to leave the city. The mayor has imposed an overnight curfew and warned looters they will be sent to jail. A dusk-to-dawn curfew is in force in New Orleans, which is described as being like a ghost town. The mayor has warned looters will be sent to jail.
Speaking in Mississippi, Mr McCain said it was important to tone down the traditional pomp and flair of convention week. href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm', '1220198686', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=335,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Predicted route of Hurricane Gustav (31 August 2008) href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm', '1220198686', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=335,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures Crime was a major problem in the New Orleans area in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which hit the city three years ago, causing disastrous floods.
"Of course this is a time when we have to do away with most of our party politics," Mr McCain told reporters. Exodus
President George W Bush and VP Dick Cheney have scrapped plans to address the convention on Monday. Mr Bush said he would instead go to Texas to monitor relief efforts. The exodus of an estimated 1.9 million people from the Louisiana coast is said to be the largest evacuation in state history. href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm', '1220198686', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=335,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Predicted route of Hurricane Gustav (31 August 2008) href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220198437/html/1.stm', '1220198686', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=335,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures
Mr McCain's campaign chartered a jet to fly worried delegates back to their home states threatened by the hurricane, which is set to hit the Louisiana coast on Monday. Roads out of New Orleans - much of which lies below sea level - were crammed with traffic throughout Sunday.
'Hope and pray' Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal appealed to residents: "If you're hearing this, seeing this, if you've not evacuated, please do so. There's still a few hours left."
After returning from a tour of relief preparations in Mississippi, he said convention delegates needed to "take off our Republican hats, and put on our American hats and we say America, we're with you". New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin told local TV only about 10,000 residents remained in the city, where rain began falling at sunset on Sunday.
The BBC's Adam Brookes, in Minnesota for the convention, says the Republicans are keen to avoid the kind of political damage incurred by the Bush administration's clumsy response to Hurricane Katrina three years ago. Plainly the backdrop of images of destruction reminding Americans of Katrina will be horrible for the Republicans BBC North America editor Justin Webb class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2008/08/events_dear_boy_events.html">Read Justin's thoughts in full He said the first storm winds could hit New Orleans at daybreak on Monday and Gustav could reach Category Four strength.
Republicans clearly cannot afford to be seen hosting glamorous political events, while the people of New Orleans are once again fleeing their city, he says. The BBC's Andy Gallacher in New Orleans says the city's usually vibrant French Quarter is eerily quiet.
"I hope and pray we will be able to resume some of our normal operations as quickly as possible," McCain told reporters via a video link from St Louis. At 0300 GMT on Monday, the eye of Gustav was about 180 miles (285km) south-east of the Louisiana coast.
"I have every expectation that we will not see the mistakes of Katrina repeated," he added. The US National Hurricane Center warned Gustav was packing winds of 115 mph (185km/h) and could bring "extremely dangerous" storm surges 14ft (4.2m) above normal.
Mr McCain's convention manager Rick Davis said the convention would open for just over two hours on Monday, solely to go through procedures necessary under law to begin the process of nominating a president and vice-president.The streets of New Orleans were empty as a curfew loomed Republicans on alert
The formal business of the convention includes, on Wednesday, the formal nomination of the Arizona senator for president and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. Speeches were cancelled for the opening day of the Republican convention in St Paul, Minnesota, with President George W Bush and VP Dick Cheney scrapping plans to address the event on Monday.
Mr Bush is instead heading to Texas to monitor relief efforts. FLASHBACK TO KATRINA Katrina struck US Gulf Coast in August 2005 as a category three storm, killing more than 1,800 peopleNew Orleans was 80% flooded after storm surge breached protective leveesUS Government was blamed for slow, botched response that exacerbated disasterHundreds of thousands of people were displaced Flashback: Hurricane Katrina
After returning from a tour of relief preparations in Mississippi, Mr McCain said convention delegates needed to "take off our Republican hats, and put on our American hats and we say America, we're with you".
The Arizona senator's campaign chartered a jet to fly worried delegates back to their home states threatened by the hurricane.
The BBC's Adam Brookes, in Minnesota for the convention, says the Republicans are keen to avoid the kind of political damage incurred by the Bush administration's clumsy response to Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
The party clearly cannot afford to be seen hosting glamorous political events, while the people of New Orleans are once again fleeing their city, he says.
In 2005, three-quarters of New Orleans was flooded by a storm surge that claimed more than 1,800 lives in coastal areas.
All eyes will now be on the city's levees, which Category Three storm Katrina swept away under a wall of mud and water. Plainly the backdrop of images of destruction reminding Americans of Katrina will be horrible for the Republicans BBC North America editor Justin Webb Read Justin's thoughts in full
The business of the Republican convention includes, on Wednesday, the formal nomination of Mr McCain for president and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
Mr McCain's acceptance speech, set for prime time on Thursday evening, is deemed to be among the most important events of the campaign for his chances of winning the White House in November.Mr McCain's acceptance speech, set for prime time on Thursday evening, is deemed to be among the most important events of the campaign for his chances of winning the White House in November.
Meanwhile, Democratic nominee Barack Obama said he would open up his vast donor list to channel money or volunteers to help recovery efforts, in response to Gustav.Meanwhile, Democratic nominee Barack Obama said he would open up his vast donor list to channel money or volunteers to help recovery efforts, in response to Gustav.
"We can activate an e-mail list of a couple [of] million people who want to give back," Mr Obama told reporters after attending church in Lima, Ohio. The storm has already claimed the lives of more than 80 people in the Caribbean, causing widespread damage in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica over the past week.
Exodus
New Orleans residents have been fleeing in their thousands after Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a full evacuation of the city. FLASHBACK TO KATRINA Katrina struck US Gulf Coast in August 2005 as a category three storm, killing more than 1,800 peopleNew Orleans was 80% flooded after storm surge breached protective leveesUS Government was blamed for slow, botched response that exacerbated disasterHundreds of thousands of people were displaced Flashback: Hurricane Katrina
Roads out of the Louisiana port - much of which lies below sea level and is protected from flooding only by a fragile system of levees - have been crammed with traffic.
Mr Nagin said that the first storm winds could hit New Orleans as early as daybreak on Monday and the hurricane could reach Category Four strength.
America's homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff, said the main evacuation was going well but he warned that people hoping to ride out the storm would be "exceptionally foolish".
The evacuation comes almost exactly three years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.
In 2005, three-quarters of the city was flooded after a storm surge breached its protective levees. More than 1,800 people died in coastal areas.
Gustav has already claimed the lives of more than 80 people in the Caribbean, causing widespread damage in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica over the past week.
At least 300,000 people were evacuated in Cuba as the storm brought extensive flooding and some severe damage, but no reports of deaths.At least 300,000 people were evacuated in Cuba as the storm brought extensive flooding and some severe damage, but no reports of deaths.
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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