Hurricane Francine continued to move through Louisiana in the southern United States on Thursday, September 12, sweeping the coast with violent winds and bringing heavy rains in its path, raising fears of dangerous flooding.
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” Francine continues to move inland in southern Louisiana “, the American Hurricane Center (NHC) indicated in its bulletin published at 1 a.m. UT, calling on the local population to remain confined “ away from windows “. ” Heavy rain and gusty winds extend across the New Orleans metropolitan area “, the agency added. This large city in Louisiana had been largely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Francine made landfall Wednesday afternoon as a Category 2 hurricane on a scale of 5, before being downgraded to Category 1. Conditions are expected to continue to deteriorate over the next few hours. “, the NHC warned. Images broadcast by local television stations or circulating on social networks show flooded streets and damaged buildings and collapsed trees. More than 260,000 homes were without power in the evening, according to the poweroutage.us website.
Sea level could rise by three metres
Even before the hurricane made landfall, heavy rain had begun to fall on the coast in the Mississippi Sound region. The hurricane could bring up to 12 inches of rain in some areas, leading to possible flash flooding, including in cities, officials warned. Sea levels could temporarily rise by as much as 10 feet, the NHC said.
In Louisiana, many localities have announced evacuation orders. The president Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the state on Tuesday, a move that frees up federal funds to help local authorities.
The Texas coast and parts of Mississippi are also expected to be affected, but to a lesser extent. Francine is expected to lose power quickly after landfall. The hurricane will then move northward.
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