Gulf coast braces for Nate: New Orleans under a state of emergency as Category 1 hurricane barrels towards the South bringing with it 90mph winds and 10 inches of rain after devastating Central America
Hurricane Nate will make landfall in Alabama late on Saturday night after moving away from Central America
It will bring 10 inches of rain to the region and may trigger flash flooding and storm surges of up to 9ft
Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu has issued a mandatory curfew starting at 6pm on Saturday night
Hurricane warnings and evacuation orders are in place along the Gulf Coast in anticipation of the storm
Evacuation shelters are being prepares in Mississippi and experts fear the storm may trigger tornadoes
Nate strengthened from a Tropical Storm to a Category 1 hurricane on Friday afternoon after claiming 22 lives in Central America
By JENNIFER SMITH
DAILYMAIL.COM
7 October 2017
Hurricane Nate gathered pace on Saturday as it moved away from Central America and thundered towards the Gulf Coast.
Experts are warning that the Category 1 hurricane will bring ‘life threatening’ storm surge to the coasts of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi after it hits on Saturday.
As much as ten inches of rain is expected to fall and trigger flash flooding in parts. The storm has already claimed 22 lives in Central America.
Nate is expected to make landfall in southwest Alabama late on Saturday night or in the early hours of Sunday morning. Evacuation shelters are being prepared across the region in anticipation of the storm.
On Saturday morning, the president tweeted his support for the region.
‘Our great team at FEMA is prepared for Hurricane Nate. Everyone in LA, MS, AL, and FL please listen to your local authorities & be safe!’ he said.
Nate is the latest in a string of deadly hurricanes which have wreaked havoc on the South, the Caribbean and parts of Central America since August.
Residents in New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, were seen preparing for the storm with sandbags on Friday and Saturday.
Nate was suddenly upgraded from a Tropical Storm to a Category 1 hurricane on Friday afternoon.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu on Friday ordered an evacuation of some areas and a mandatory curfew ahead of Nate.
The curfew will be in effect from Saturday evening to Sunday morning, the mayor said at a news conference.
Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi declared states of emergency as the storm twisted toward the US Gulf Coast on Friday after killing at least 22 people in Central America.
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