© AP
This enhanced infrared satellite image made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Nate approaching the mouth of the Mississippi River on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017
The Category 1 Hurricane Nate has made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River in the US state of Louisiana, registering winds of 90mph and causing flooding.
The storm
made landfall on the southeastern Louisiana coast at 8pm Saturday with wind speeds reaching 85mph (137kph). Authorities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, parts of which are expected to be affected by the storm, have issued evacuation orders and declared states of emergency.
Although the storm was forecast to lose its strength and be downgraded to a tropical depression by Monday morning, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards urged residents to stay vigilant as the state prepares to face torrential rains and howling winds.
"We do want people to be very, very cautious and to not take this storm for granted," he said at a press conference on Friday.
Meteorologists expect the storm to make a second landfall on the Mississippi Coast on Saturday night after it passes over the uninhabited Chandeleur Islands, the easternmost point of Louisiana.
Comment: Nate is the
ninth hurricane to form in the Atlantic this season, which is the highest total since the infamous 2012 season featuring Hurricane Sandy. When Nate struck Central America on Thursday and Friday, at least 31 people were killed and others were still missing.
The United States is recovering from two major hurricanes: Harvey, which tore through Texas and then Louisiana in August, and Irma, which slammed Florida in September. Another powerful storm, Hurricane Maria, ripped through the Caribbean in late September, devastating several islands, including Dominica and Puerto Rico, a US territory.
Comment: Nate is the ninth hurricane to form in the Atlantic this season, which is the highest total since the infamous 2012 season featuring Hurricane Sandy. When Nate struck Central America on Thursday and Friday, at least 31 people were killed and others were still missing.
The United States is recovering from two major hurricanes: Harvey, which tore through Texas and then Louisiana in August, and Irma, which slammed Florida in September. Another powerful storm, Hurricane Maria, ripped through the Caribbean in late September, devastating several islands, including Dominica and Puerto Rico, a US territory.