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Thousands flee Hurricane Gustav Thousands flee Hurricane Gustav
(30 minutes later)
Hundreds of thousands of people have been fleeing the southern US coast as Hurricane Gustav approaches land.Hundreds of thousands of people have been fleeing the southern US coast as Hurricane Gustav approaches land.
Authorities have ordered the evacuation of New Orleans and an estimated 1.9 million people along the Gulf coast have been heading inland.Authorities have ordered the evacuation of New Orleans and an estimated 1.9 million people along the Gulf coast have been heading inland.
Storm fears have prompted the US Republican party to scale back its national convention. The Category Three storm is expected to make landfall at midday local time.
Senator John McCain, due to accept his party's nomination for president, said it was no time for party politics. The storm has prompted the Republicans to scale back their national convention where John McCain is due to accept the party's nomination for president.
The Category Three storm is due to make landfall soon from the Gulf of Mexico. President George W Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney have scrapped plans to address the event in St Paul, Minnesota on Monday.
At 0300 GMT on Monday, the eye of Gustav was about 180 miles (285km) south-east of the Louisiana coast. Dangerous surges
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. At 0600 GMT on Monday, the eye of Gustav was about 125 miles (200km) south-east of the Louisiana coast. 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
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. Forecasters at the US National Hurricane Center say that at the current speed, the centre of the storm would hit the coast by midday local time.
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. Isolated tornadoes are also possible in the area.
A dusk-to-dawn curfew is in force in New Orleans, which is described as being like a ghost town. The 7,000-strong Louisiana national guard has been mobilised and support requested from other states. The New Orleans mayor has warned looters will be sent to jail.
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.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.
Exodus The exodus of an estimated 1.9 million people from the Louisiana coast is said to be the largest evacuation in state history.
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 Few remain
Roads out of New Orleans - much of which lies below sea level - were crammed with traffic throughout Sunday. Roads out of New Orleans - much of which lies below sea level - were crammed with traffic throughout Sunday. 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 class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/americas/05/katrina/html/default.stm">Flashback: Hurricane Katrina
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."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."
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.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.
He said the first storm winds could hit New Orleans at daybreak on Monday and Gustav could reach Category Four strength.He said the first storm winds could hit New Orleans at daybreak on Monday and Gustav could reach Category Four strength.
The BBC's Andy Gallacher in New Orleans says the city's usually vibrant French Quarter is eerily quiet. The BBC's Kevin Connolly, in New Orleans, says the mood among the city's remaining residents is of hope and fear.
Republicans on alert Sandra Taylor, from Lafayette, Indiana, is visiting her daughter, who had a baby nine days ago.
Speeches were cancelled for the opening day of the Republican convention in St Paul, Minnesota, with President George W Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney scrapping plans to address the event on Monday. "Where we live it's not in a flood zone, and we're quite sheltered," she said. "There's a few that have battened down, and sealed all the windows and stuff and disappeared. But there's a lot of other neighbours around, so I think we're just going to play the three little pigs - if one house blows away, we'll shift to the next one."
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.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 class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2008/08/events_dear_boy_events.html">Read Justin's thoughts in full All eyes will now be on the city's levees, which Category Three storm Katrina swept away under a wall of mud and water.
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.
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.
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.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.
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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