On Saturday, 3 people were killed and 2 people were injured in a shooting at the gun store in Louisiana. The shooting happed at the Jefferson gun outlet in the suburbs of New Orleans. The suspected shooter reportedly gets into an argument with the clerk for entering the store with a loaded gun.

The argument at Jefferson gun outlet led to the fatal shootout

Hurricane Delta weakened on Friday after making landfall in a corner of Louisiana state repeatedly battered by storms this year, packing maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (150 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Delta, now a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, hit land at 6 p.m. Friday near the Gulf Coast town of Creole, the NHC said.

On the forecast track, the center of Delta should move across central and northeastern Louisiana on Friday night and Saturday morning before moving into northern Mississippi and the Tennessee Valley, the NHC said.

"Rapid weakening is expected overnight and Saturday. Delta is forecast to weaken to a tropical storm tonight and to a tropical depression on Saturday," the NHC said.

In nearby Lake Charles city, the streets were deserted as residents fled, filling hotels or taking shelter away from the storm`s path.

"In this community, there are a lot of homes that were damaged and so a lot of people are concerned about staying in that structure again," Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said in an interview.

Hurricane Laura, which struck the state with 150 mph winds in late August, "is still very fresh and very raw and I think that had something to do with more people evacuating for Delta," Hunter said.

Schools and government offices were closed and officials in a dozen parishes called for evacuations. Residents boarded up windows, sandbagged doors and moved out of the storm`s path.

SETS STORM RECORD

Delta is the 10th named storm to make a U.S. landfall this year, eclipsing a record that has stood since 1916.

Laura damaged tens of thousands of homes, leaving roofs throughout the region dotted with protective blue tarps and more than 6,000 people still living temporarily in hotels.

Floria Semien, 62, and her family took shelter in a hotel after leaving their home near Lake Charles two days after its electric power was restored after Laura.

“It`s heartbreaking," she said. "My family made it out OK so we just are going to put one foot in front of the other.” 
Along a pasture east of Lake Charles, Addison Alford manned a mobile weather radar station brought in from Oklahoma on Thursday because the permanent station was damaged during Laura.

He and a colleague planned to ride out the storm from inside a heavy vehicle equipped with a radar dish. "We`re really trying to make sure the data streams stay up during the entire event," he said.

Energy companies have shut 1.7 million barrels per day, or 92%, of the Gulf`s oil output as of midday Friday, the most since 2005 when Hurricane Katrina destroyed more than 100 offshore platforms and hobbled output for months.

The U.S. Coast Guard closed ports from Beaumont, Texas, to Lake Charles ahead of the storm.

Hurricane Delta weakened on Friday after making landfall in a corner of Louisiana state repeatedly battered by storms this year, packing maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (150 kph), the U.

Hurricane Delta weakened on Friday after making landfall in a corner of Louisiana state repeatedly battered by storms this year, packing maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (150 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Delta, now a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, hit land at 6 p.m. Friday near the Gulf Coast town of Creole, the NHC said. On the forecast track, the center of Delta should move across central and northeastern Louisiana on Friday night and Saturday morning before moving into northern Mississippi and the Tennessee Valley, the NHC said. "Rapid weakening is expected overnight and Saturday. Delta is forecast to weaken to a tropical storm tonight and to a tropical depression on Saturday," the NHC said. In nearby Lake Charles city, the streets were deserted as residents fled, filling hotels or taking shelter away from the storm`s path. "In this community, there are a lot of homes that were damaged and so a lot of people are concerned about staying in that structure again," Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said in an interview. Hurricane Laura, which struck the state with 150 mph winds in late August, "is still very fresh and very raw and I think that had something to do with more people evacuating for Delta," Hunter said. Schools and government offices were closed and officials in a dozen parishes called for evacuations. Residents boarded up windows, sandbagged doors and moved out of the storm`s path. SETS STORM RECORD Delta is the 10th named storm to make a U.S. landfall this year, eclipsing a record that has stood since 1916. Laura damaged tens of thousands of homes, leaving roofs throughout the region dotted with protective blue tarps and more than 6,000 people still living temporarily in hotels. Floria Semien, 62, and her family took shelter in a hotel after leaving their home near Lake Charles two days after its electric power was restored after Laura. “It`s heartbreaking," she said. "My family made it out OK so we just are going to put one foot in front of the other.” Along a pasture east of Lake Charles, Addison Alford manned a mobile weather radar station brought in from Oklahoma on Thursday because the permanent station was damaged during Laura. He and a colleague planned to ride out the storm from inside a heavy vehicle equipped with a radar dish. "We`re really trying to make sure the data streams stay up during the entire event," he said. Energy companies have shut 1.7 million barrels per day, or 92%, of the Gulf`s oil output as of midday Friday, the most since 2005 when Hurricane Katrina destroyed more than 100 offshore platforms and hobbled output for months. The U.S. Coast Guard closed ports from Beaumont, Texas, to Lake Charles ahead of the storm.

Hurricane Delta weakens after making landfall in storm-battered Louisiana

New Orleans in the city of Louisiana is helping those who have laid off during COVID-19 shut down and this is being done to try and help improve their work skills. Watch report.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Retraining the jobless to work in healthcare

Hurricane Delta is bearing down on Louisiana after sweeping over western part of Gulf of Mexico. US national guard has been mobilised and people on Louisiana coast have been evacuated from their homes. Officials say that Hurricane Delta will cause a deadly storm surge and flash flooding in Louisiana. On Friday, Hurricane Delta packed sustained winds of 120 mph.

"I don't even know if we'll have a house when we come back," Kimberly Hester, a resident of Louisiana told AFP.

"I just pray to God every night we can at least have a house to come home to," she said.

Hurricane Delta is a category 3 storm now. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Hurricane Delta was still able to cause a "devastating damage". It warned of a "life-threatening storm surge" along parts of northern Gulf Coast.

The hurricane earlier barreled into Mexico's Yucatan region, which escaped major destruction, with no reports of deaths.

Battered US Gulf

Many along the Louisiana coastline have yet to recover from Hurricane Laura, which struck near the end of August as a strong Category 4 storm on the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards urged residents to be extremely careful with Delta, and announced that 2,400 National Guard personnel had been mobilized to aid locals.

Hurricane Delta would hit "in the area of our state that is least prepared to take it," Edwards said late Thursday.&nbsp;

"To the people of Southwest Louisiana, I know you are strong. I also know you are about to be tested again. Please finish making preparations now We will get through this."&nbsp;

In the city of Lake Charles, where torn planks of wood, uprooted trees and debris from Hurricane Laura still litter the streets, Shannon Fuselier drilled plywood over the windows of a friend's home as protection from flying debris.

Many neighborhood houses are covered with tarps from previous hurricane damage, and the home Fuselier was working on had already suffered roof damage from a fallen tree and smashed windows during Laura.

"The branches and leaves don't do that much damage," said Fuselier, 56. "It's pieces of metal, steel, frames of other peoples windows, signs from people's stores, nails."

Fuselier said that she was staying because she didn't think the storm was strong enough for her to flee.&nbsp; 
Edwards has already warned that Delta could sweep up old debris and hurl it like missiles.

On Thursday there was a traffic jam in both directions on the highway out of Lake Charles as people left the city.

Terry Lebine had already evacuated to the town of Alexandria, some 100 miles (150 kilometers) to the north, during the previous hurricane, and was ready to head out again.

"It's exhausting," she told AFP. "...I've got my mother, she's 81 years old and not in the best of health. Right after we went back home after Laura, we have to leave again for Delta. We were home a good two to three weeks."

Delta is the 26th named storm of an unusually active Atlantic hurricane season.

In September, meteorologists were forced to break out the Greek alphabet to name Atlantic storms for only the second time ever, after the 2020 hurricane season blew through their usual list, ending on Tropical Storm Wilfred.

As the ocean surface warms due to climate change hurricanes become more powerful -- and scientists say there will likely be an increase in powerful Category 4 and 5 storms.

 
&nbsp;

Hurricane Delta is bearing down on Louisiana after sweeping over western part of Gulf of Mexico. US national guard has been mobilised and people on Louisiana coast have been evacuated from their homes.

Hurricane Delta is bearing down on Louisiana after sweeping over western part of Gulf of Mexico. US national guard has been mobilised and people on Louisiana coast have been evacuated from their homes. Officials say that Hurricane Delta will cause a deadly storm surge and flash flooding in Louisiana. On Friday, Hurricane Delta packed sustained winds of 120 mph. "I don't even know if we'll have a house when we come back," Kimberly Hester, a resident of Louisiana told AFP. "I just pray to God every night we can at least have a house to come home to," she said. Hurricane Delta is a category 3 storm now. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Hurricane Delta was still able to cause a "devastating damage". It warned of a "life-threatening storm surge" along parts of northern Gulf Coast. The hurricane earlier barreled into Mexico's Yucatan region, which escaped major destruction, with no reports of deaths. Battered US Gulf Many along the Louisiana coastline have yet to recover from Hurricane Laura, which struck near the end of August as a strong Category 4 storm on the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards urged residents to be extremely careful with Delta, and announced that 2,400 National Guard personnel had been mobilized to aid locals. Hurricane Delta would hit "in the area of our state that is least prepared to take it," Edwards said late Thursday. "To the people of Southwest Louisiana, I know you are strong. I also know you are about to be tested again. Please finish making preparations now We will get through this." In the city of Lake Charles, where torn planks of wood, uprooted trees and debris from Hurricane Laura still litter the streets, Shannon Fuselier drilled plywood over the windows of a friend's home as protection from flying debris. Many neighborhood houses are covered with tarps from previous hurricane damage, and the home Fuselier was working on had already suffered roof damage from a fallen tree and smashed windows during Laura. "The branches and leaves don't do that much damage," said Fuselier, 56. "It's pieces of metal, steel, frames of other peoples windows, signs from people's stores, nails." Fuselier said that she was staying because she didn't think the storm was strong enough for her to flee. Edwards has already warned that Delta could sweep up old debris and hurl it like missiles. On Thursday there was a traffic jam in both directions on the highway out of Lake Charles as people left the city. Terry Lebine had already evacuated to the town of Alexandria, some 100 miles (150 kilometers) to the north, during the previous hurricane, and was ready to head out again. "It's exhausting," she told AFP. "...I've got my mother, she's 81 years old and not in the best of health. Right after we went back home after Laura, we have to leave again for Delta. We were home a good two to three weeks." Delta is the 26th named storm of an unusually active Atlantic hurricane season. In September, meteorologists were forced to break out the Greek alphabet to name Atlantic storms for only the second time ever, after the 2020 hurricane season blew through their usual list, ending on Tropical Storm Wilfred. As the ocean surface warms due to climate change hurricanes become more powerful -- and scientists say there will likely be an increase in powerful Category 4 and 5 storms.

Hurricane Delta heads towards Louisiana

In United States of America, mandatory evacuations has been ordered as the Hurricane Sally is expected to hit Mississippi, Louisiana. Authorities has issued the flood alert as well.

US: Mandatory evacuations ordered as Hurricane Sally is expected to hit Mississippi, Louisiana

Tropical Storm Sally triggered evacuations in Louisiana on Sunday as the northern Gulf Coast prepared for it to make landfall late Monday.

Tropical storm Sally: Hurricane warning issued in few countries | World News | WION News

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards on Thursday asked residents in three southwestern communities to stay indoors with windows and doors shut as a plume rose from a chemical fire at a chlorine plant in an area hit by Hurricane Laura.

Tracking Hurricane Laura: Fire erupts at hurricane-hit Louisiana chemical plant

'Unsurvivable storm surge': Hurricane Laura batters southern US states

US National Hurricane Center said today that Hurricane Laura was expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast&nbsp;late Wednesday or early Thursday&nbsp;with wind speeds of 230 kilometres per hour as mass evacuation was ordered by authorities.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thousands-evacuated-as-twin-storms-head-for-southern-united-states-322679/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The hurricane headed towards Louisiana and Texas has been put under Category 4 storm with warning of "unsurvivable storm surge". The National Hurricane Center(NHC) said the oil-refining town of Port Arthur was directly in Hurricane Laura's path.

An "unsurvivable storm surge with large and destructive waves will cause catastrophic damage from Sea Rim State Park, Texas, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana," the NHC said.

Reports said at least 620,000 people have been put under evacuation list in Louisiana and Texas.

The NHC added that Hurricane Laura could raise water levels to 20 feet and penetrate up to 64 km inland.&nbsp;

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the National Guard was ready for rescue operation echoing Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards who said that the state's entire National Guard had been activated.

"The power of Hurricane Laura is unprecedented, and Texans must take action now to get out of harm's way and protect themselves," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, adding, "The conditions of this storm are unsurvivable, and I urge southeast Texans to take advantage of these final few hours to evacuate."

"Your property can be replaced," Abbott said. "Your life cannot be replaced," the Texas governor said.

Several oil companies have suspended production along the in the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the hurricane even as US President Donald Trump said: "Hurricane Laura is a very dangerous and rapidly intensifying hurricane, my administration remains fully engaged with state &amp; local emergency managers."&nbsp;

US National Hurricane Center said today that Hurricane Laura was expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday with wind speeds of 230 kilometres per hour as mass evacuation was ordered by authorities.

US National Hurricane Center said today that Hurricane Laura was expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday with wind speeds of 230 kilometres per hour as mass evacuation was ordered by authorities. Watch: The hurricane headed towards Louisiana and Texas has been put under Category 4 storm with warning of "unsurvivable storm surge". The National Hurricane Center(NHC) said the oil-refining town of Port Arthur was directly in Hurricane Laura's path. An "unsurvivable storm surge with large and destructive waves will cause catastrophic damage from Sea Rim State Park, Texas, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana," the NHC said. Reports said at least 620,000 people have been put under evacuation list in Louisiana and Texas. The NHC added that Hurricane Laura could raise water levels to 20 feet and penetrate up to 64 km inland. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the National Guard was ready for rescue operation echoing Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards who said that the state's entire National Guard had been activated. "The power of Hurricane Laura is unprecedented, and Texans must take action now to get out of harm's way and protect themselves," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, adding, "The conditions of this storm are unsurvivable, and I urge southeast Texans to take advantage of these final few hours to evacuate." "Your property can be replaced," Abbott said. "Your life cannot be replaced," the Texas governor said. Several oil companies have suspended production along the in the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the hurricane even as US President Donald Trump said: "Hurricane Laura is a very dangerous and rapidly intensifying hurricane, my administration remains fully engaged with state & local emergency managers."

'Unsurvivable storm surge': Hurricane Laura surges towards Louisiana, Texas amid mass evacuation

Tropical Storm Laura lashed Cuba as it made its way to the United States even as the US National Hurricane Center said it would make landfall in Louisiana later in the week.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thousands-evacuated-as-twin-storms-head-for-southern-united-states-322679/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Tropical Storm Marco made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River on Monday. The storm is likely to bring heavy rainfall in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida, weather forecasters said. It is currently centred at the southeastern tip of Louisiana.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/8-dead-as-storm-laura-hits-haiti-storm-marco-set-to-hit-louisiana-322623">Also Read:&nbsp;8 dead as Storm Laura hits Haiti; Storm Marco set to hit Louisiana</a>

The US Gulf coast is predicted to get torrential rain this week due to storm Marco and Tropical Storm Laura. The US National Weather Service said that Tropical Storm Laura could become a Category 3 storm.

Storm Marco was downgraded from a hurricane overnight. Tropical Storm Laura left 13 people dead as it made its way from the Caribbean with winds gusting to 146 kilometres an hour accompanied with waves of more than 10 feet battering Maisi area of Guantanamo province even as heavy flooding was reported in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

Cuban authorities had earlier evacuated at least 160,000 people from Camaguey, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and &nbsp;Guantanamo. At least nine people were killed in Haiti as the storm tore through the region.

Energy companies have already suspended oil and natural gas production in the Gulf Coast in the wake of the storms.

Tropical Storm Laura lashed Cuba as it made its way to the United States even as the US National Hurricane Center said it would make landfall in Louisiana later in the week.

Tropical Storm Laura lashed Cuba as it made its way to the United States even as the US National Hurricane Center said it would make landfall in Louisiana later in the week. Watch: Tropical Storm Marco made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River on Monday. The storm is likely to bring heavy rainfall in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida, weather forecasters said. It is currently centred at the southeastern tip of Louisiana. Also Read: 8 dead as Storm Laura hits Haiti; Storm Marco set to hit Louisiana The US Gulf coast is predicted to get torrential rain this week due to storm Marco and Tropical Storm Laura. The US National Weather Service said that Tropical Storm Laura could become a Category 3 storm. Storm Marco was downgraded from a hurricane overnight. Tropical Storm Laura left 13 people dead as it made its way from the Caribbean with winds gusting to 146 kilometres an hour accompanied with waves of more than 10 feet battering Maisi area of Guantanamo province even as heavy flooding was reported in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Cuban authorities had earlier evacuated at least 160,000 people from Camaguey, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo. At least nine people were killed in Haiti as the storm tore through the region. Energy companies have already suspended oil and natural gas production in the Gulf Coast in the wake of the storms.

Tropical Storm Marco makes landfall in Louisiana as Tropical Storm Laura heads to US

The US National Hurricane Center said that Tropical Storm Marco had strengthened and will hit Louisiana on Monday as two powerful storms threaten the Gulf Coast.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/storm-laura-hits-haiti-with-marco-forecast-to-slam-us-as-hurricane-322608">Also Read:&nbsp;Storm Laura hits Haiti, with Marco forecast to slam US as hurricane</a>

"Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Marco has strengthened into a hurricane with maximum winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts," the Hurricane Center said.

Eight people were killed as Tropical Storm Laura struck Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The storm brought in heavy rain and is predicted to hit the US coastal region on Wednesday.

The storm has reportedly left a million Dominicans without power, flooding&nbsp;homes as it hit villages.

As a result, energy companies have suspended oil and natural gas production in the Gulf Coast as the US National Hurricane Center said Storm Laura was "bringing torrential rainfall and life-threatening flooding" to Haiti.

The two hurricanes are expected to hit the US Gulf Coast almost simultaneously which is an unexpected phenomenon since records began 150 years ago.&nbsp;

The US National Hurricane Center said that Tropical Storm Marco had strengthened and will hit Louisiana on Monday as two powerful storms threaten the Gulf Coast.

The US National Hurricane Center said that Tropical Storm Marco had strengthened and will hit Louisiana on Monday as two powerful storms threaten the Gulf Coast. Also Read: Storm Laura hits Haiti, with Marco forecast to slam US as hurricane "Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Marco has strengthened into a hurricane with maximum winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts," the Hurricane Center said. Eight people were killed as Tropical Storm Laura struck Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The storm brought in heavy rain and is predicted to hit the US coastal region on Wednesday. The storm has reportedly left a million Dominicans without power, flooding homes as it hit villages. As a result, energy companies have suspended oil and natural gas production in the Gulf Coast as the US National Hurricane Center said Storm Laura was "bringing torrential rainfall and life-threatening flooding" to Haiti. The two hurricanes are expected to hit the US Gulf Coast almost simultaneously which is an unexpected phenomenon since records began 150 years ago.

8 dead as Storm Laura hits Haiti; Storm Marco set to hit Louisiana

The US&nbsp;Supreme Court defended abortion rights in a major ruling on Monday by striking down a Louisiana law placing restrictions on doctors who perform the procedure, dealing a blow to anti-abortion advocates.

The 5-4 ruling, with conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joining the four liberals justices in the majority, represented a victory for Shreveport-based abortion provider Hope Medical Group for Women in its challenge to the 2014 law. The measure had required doctors who perform abortions to have a sometimes difficult-to-obtain formal affiliation called "admitting privileges" at a hospital within 30 miles (48 km) of the clinic.

President Donald Trump's administration supported Louisiana in the case.&nbsp;

Anti-abortion advocates had hoped that the Supreme Court, with its 5-4 conservative majority, would be willing to permit abortion restrictions like those being pursued by Louisiana and other conservative states.

"Today's ruling is a bitter disappointment," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/los-angeles-texas-close-bars-as-coronavirus-takes-very-dangerous-turn-309252" hreflang="en">Los Angeles, Texas close bars as coronavirus takes 'very dangerous turn'</a>

The decision, authored by liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, marked the second time in four years that the court ruled against an "admitting privileges" requirement

In 2016, the court struck down a Republican-backed Texas law that mandated admitting privileges and required clinics to have costly hospital-grade facilities, finding that the restrictions represented an impermissible "undue burden" on a woman's ability to obtain an abortion. Breyer wrote that the two laws are "almost word-for word identical" and that therefore the court had to reach the same result.

There is sufficient evidence to find that the Louisiana measure "would place substantial obstacles in the path of women seeking an abortion in Louisiana," Breyer added.&nbsp;

Roberts dissented in the 2016 case, which was called Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, but voted with the liberals in the Louisiana case based on the court's tradition of adhering to its precedents, he said.

"I joined the dissent in Whole Woman's Health and continue to believe that the case was wrongly decided. The question today however is not whether Whole Woman's Health was right or wrong, but whether to adhere to it in deciding the present case," Roberts wrote in a separate opinion.&nbsp;

At the same time, Roberts did question some of the court's analysis in the earlier ruling, suggesting he may side with his conservative colleagues in future challenges to abortion restrictions.

'WE'RE RELIEVED'

As a result, the positive reaction to the ruling from abortion rights group was muted.

"We're relieved that the Louisiana law has been blocked today but we're concerned about tomorrow," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represented the Louisiana clinic.

Two of Louisiana's three clinics that perform abortions would have been forced to close if the law went into effect, according to lawyers for Hope Medical Group.&nbsp;

In a dissenting opinion, conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote that Louisiana and Texas rulings are similar only because "the abortion right recognized in this court's decisions is used like a bulldozer to flatten legal rules that stand in the way."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-all-about-him-john-bolton-criticises-trumps-statement-on-russian-bounties-309243" hreflang="en">It's all about him: John Bolton criticises Trump's statement on Russian bounties</a>

Roberts also sided with the liberal justices in two other important rulings this month. One found that gay and transgender people are protected from workplace discrimination under federal civil rights law. The other blocked Trump's bid to end a program that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants - often called "Dreamers" - who entered the United States illegally as children.

Several other cases involving legal challenges to abortion restrictions in other states are heading toward the justices that could provide other avenues for its conservative majority to roll back access to the procedure.

Trump, seeking re-election on Nov&nbsp;3, promised during the 2016 presidential race to appoint justices who would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The Louisiana case marked the first major abortion dispute heard by the court since Trump appointed Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and Neil Gorsuch in 2017 as justices. Both ruled in favor of the Louisiana abortion restrictions.

Abortion remains a divisive issue in the United States as it is in many countries. Christian conservatives - an important political constituency for Trump - are among those most opposed to it. The Republican president, who years earlier had supported abortion rights, attended an anti-abortion march in January and declared, "Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House."&nbsp;

Abortion rights advocates have argued that restrictions such as admitting privileges are meant to limit access to abortion not protect women's health as proponents say. When the Supreme Court in 1992 reaffirmed the Roe v. Wade ruling, it prohibited laws that placed an "undue burden" on a woman's ability to obtain an abortion.&nbsp;

Baton Rouge-based U.S. District Judge John deGravelles cited the undue burden precedent when he struck down Louisiana's law in 2016. After Louisiana appealed, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law.

The US Supreme Court defended abortion rights in a major ruling on Monday by striking down a Louisiana law placing restrictions on doctors who perform the procedure, dealing a blow to anti-abortion advocates.

The US Supreme Court defended abortion rights in a major ruling on Monday by striking down a Louisiana law placing restrictions on doctors who perform the procedure, dealing a blow to anti-abortion advocates. The 5-4 ruling, with conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joining the four liberals justices in the majority, represented a victory for Shreveport-based abortion provider Hope Medical Group for Women in its challenge to the 2014 law. The measure had required doctors who perform abortions to have a sometimes difficult-to-obtain formal affiliation called "admitting privileges" at a hospital within 30 miles (48 km) of the clinic. President Donald Trump's administration supported Louisiana in the case. Anti-abortion advocates had hoped that the Supreme Court, with its 5-4 conservative majority, would be willing to permit abortion restrictions like those being pursued by Louisiana and other conservative states. "Today's ruling is a bitter disappointment," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List. Also read: Los Angeles, Texas close bars as coronavirus takes 'very dangerous turn' The decision, authored by liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, marked the second time in four years that the court ruled against an "admitting privileges" requirement In 2016, the court struck down a Republican-backed Texas law that mandated admitting privileges and required clinics to have costly hospital-grade facilities, finding that the restrictions represented an impermissible "undue burden" on a woman's ability to obtain an abortion. Breyer wrote that the two laws are "almost word-for word identical" and that therefore the court had to reach the same result. There is sufficient evidence to find that the Louisiana measure "would place substantial obstacles in the path of women seeking an abortion in Louisiana," Breyer added. Roberts dissented in the 2016 case, which was called Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, but voted with the liberals in the Louisiana case based on the court's tradition of adhering to its precedents, he said. "I joined the dissent in Whole Woman's Health and continue to believe that the case was wrongly decided. The question today however is not whether Whole Woman's Health was right or wrong, but whether to adhere to it in deciding the present case," Roberts wrote in a separate opinion. At the same time, Roberts did question some of the court's analysis in the earlier ruling, suggesting he may side with his conservative colleagues in future challenges to abortion restrictions. 'WE'RE RELIEVED' As a result, the positive reaction to the ruling from abortion rights group was muted. "We're relieved that the Louisiana law has been blocked today but we're concerned about tomorrow," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represented the Louisiana clinic. Two of Louisiana's three clinics that perform abortions would have been forced to close if the law went into effect, according to lawyers for Hope Medical Group. In a dissenting opinion, conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote that Louisiana and Texas rulings are similar only because "the abortion right recognized in this court's decisions is used like a bulldozer to flatten legal rules that stand in the way." Also read: It's all about him: John Bolton criticises Trump's statement on Russian bounties Roberts also sided with the liberal justices in two other important rulings this month. One found that gay and transgender people are protected from workplace discrimination under federal civil rights law. The other blocked Trump's bid to end a program that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants - often called "Dreamers" - who entered the United States illegally as children. Several other cases involving legal challenges to abortion restrictions in other states are heading toward the justices that could provide other avenues for its conservative majority to roll back access to the procedure. Trump, seeking re-election on Nov 3, promised during the 2016 presidential race to appoint justices who would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The Louisiana case marked the first major abortion dispute heard by the court since Trump appointed Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and Neil Gorsuch in 2017 as justices. Both ruled in favor of the Louisiana abortion restrictions. Abortion remains a divisive issue in the United States as it is in many countries. Christian conservatives - an important political constituency for Trump - are among those most opposed to it. The Republican president, who years earlier had supported abortion rights, attended an anti-abortion march in January and declared, "Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House." Abortion rights advocates have argued that restrictions such as admitting privileges are meant to limit access to abortion not protect women's health as proponents say. When the Supreme Court in 1992 reaffirmed the Roe v. Wade ruling, it prohibited laws that placed an "undue burden" on a woman's ability to obtain an abortion. Baton Rouge-based U.S. District Judge John deGravelles cited the undue burden precedent when he struck down Louisiana's law in 2016. After Louisiana appealed, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law.

In major ruling, US Supreme Court strikes down strict Louisiana abortion law

Tropical storm Cristobal made its landfall in the United States today in southeast Louisiana.&nbsp;Strong winds and incessant rains are expected today, as per the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Sustaining winds of over 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph), the storm hit the coast of the state.

Winds were as strong as 64 mph in Mississippi’s one island, which is close to where the landfall is happening.

In view of the storm, US President Donald Trump recently promised aid for the state from the federal funds. He intends to sign an emergency declaration soon.

<h6><img alt="A relative carries belongings of the seven victims of a landslide caused by heavy rains amid tropical storm Cristobal in Santo Tomas, El Salvador, on June 05, 2020. Seven members of a family died in a landslide two days ago 10 km southeast of the Salvadoran capital." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="665fbc8b-ca09-402d-877a-75a38283fcfe" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_15.jpg" /> 
A relative carries belongings of the seven victims of a landslide caused by heavy rains amid tropical storm Cristobal in Santo Tomas, El Salvador, on June 05, 2020. Seven members of a family died in a landslide two days ago 10 km southeast of the Salvadoran capital | AFP</h6>

According to NHC, the storm involves “a danger of life-threatening inundation” in the areas along Mississippi river, spanning 90 miles.

High winds and heavy rainfall are predicted as far as Florida Panhandle.

Starting Monday, the storm will begin to weaken as it moves towards Arkansas and Missouri.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/tropical-storm-cristobal-advances-toward-us-gulf-coast-303927" hreflang="en">Tropical Storm Cristobal advances toward US Gulf Coast</a>

According to meteorologists and experts, this season is heavier than usual in terms of storms.

Cristobal is a byproduct of the Tropical Storm Amanda, which has taken over 26 lives in Central America, bringing devastation due to flooding, which has causes landslides across the region.

The Atlantic hurricane season, of which Cristobal is a part, is set to run from June 1 to November 30.&nbsp;This is the third such storm this year in the US.

Tropical storm Cristobal made its landfall in the United States today in southeast Louisiana. Strong winds and incessant rains are expected today, as per the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Tropical storm Cristobal made its landfall in the United States today in southeast Louisiana. Strong winds and incessant rains are expected today, as per the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). Sustaining winds of over 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph), the storm hit the coast of the state. Winds were as strong as 64 mph in Mississippi’s one island, which is close to where the landfall is happening. In view of the storm, US President Donald Trump recently promised aid for the state from the federal funds. He intends to sign an emergency declaration soon. A relative carries belongings of the seven victims of a landslide caused by heavy rains amid tropical storm Cristobal in Santo Tomas, El Salvador, on June 05, 2020. Seven members of a family died in a landslide two days ago 10 km southeast of the Salvadoran capital | AFP According to NHC, the storm involves “a danger of life-threatening inundation” in the areas along Mississippi river, spanning 90 miles. High winds and heavy rainfall are predicted as far as Florida Panhandle. Starting Monday, the storm will begin to weaken as it moves towards Arkansas and Missouri. Also read: Tropical Storm Cristobal advances toward US Gulf Coast According to meteorologists and experts, this season is heavier than usual in terms of storms. Cristobal is a byproduct of the Tropical Storm Amanda, which has taken over 26 lives in Central America, bringing devastation due to flooding, which has causes landslides across the region. The Atlantic hurricane season, of which Cristobal is a part, is set to run from June 1 to November 30. This is the third such storm this year in the US.

Storm Cristobal makes landfall in the US state of Louisiana

A shooting in the capital city of US' Louisiana --&nbsp;Baton Rouge -- has left one police officer dead and another wounded.

A suspect was also put in custody after an hours-long standoff at a home.

Baton Rouge Police said the officers were responding to a call about reports of gunfire when they were shot in the northern part of the city, and one of the officers later died.

The slain officer was a 21-year law enforcement veteran and that the wounded colleague had seven years of police work.

The second wounded officer was hospitalised and fighting for his life. The suspect was taken into custody after the standoff.&nbsp;

The police&nbsp;did not elaborate on any possible charges even as they continue to investigate.

A shooting in the capital city of US' Louisiana -- Baton Rouge -- has left one police officer dead and another wounded. A suspect was also put in custody after an hours-long standoff at a home.

A shooting in the capital city of US' Louisiana -- Baton Rouge -- has left one police officer dead and another wounded. A suspect was also put in custody after an hours-long standoff at a home. Baton Rouge Police said the officers were responding to a call about reports of gunfire when they were shot in the northern part of the city, and one of the officers later died. The slain officer was a 21-year law enforcement veteran and that the wounded colleague had seven years of police work. The second wounded officer was hospitalised and fighting for his life. The suspect was taken into custody after the standoff. The police did not elaborate on any possible charges even as they continue to investigate.

One officer dead, one wounded in Louisiana shooting

When pedicab operator Sarah Grant and French Quarter street violinist Anna Roznowska realized about five weeks ago their livelihoods and lifestyles were threatened by New Orleans stay-at-home orders caused by the novel coronavirus, they were initially at a loss.

New Orleans violinist and pedicab operator take show on the road to lift spirits

Five people heading to a college football game in Atlanta were killed on Saturday when their small plane crashed just after it departed from a regional airport in southern Louisiana. #Louisiana #Atlanta #LouisianaPlaneCrash

Louisiana: 5 people heading to football game die in plane crash

A plane crash near Lafayette Regional Airport in Louisiana has claimed the lives of five people. The small aircraft crashed into a post office with 6 people on-board, shortly after take-off.

A plane crash near Lafayette Regional Airport in Louisiana has claimed the lives of five people. The small aircraft crashed into a post office with 6 people on-board, shortly after take-off. The plane was carrying students who were heading to the peach bowl in Atlanta to watch a college football game. One passenger survived the crash and has been taken to the hospital while another bystander near the post office is also said to have suffered injuries. The private aircraft encountered a problem after take-off and tried to make an emergency landing. According to an eye-witness, the plane hit a powerline while trying to land, leading to the crash. The plane ultimately came down in the city of Layafette, just a mile away from the regional airport.

United States: 5 killed in Louisiana plane crash 

Climate Change Will Bring A New Disaster Every Week: United Nations A disaster every week seems to be the new norm as extreme weather wreaks havoc across the world. Palki sums up the latest on Hurricane Barry in Louisiana, fire in Hawaii and storm in Greece.

Gravitas: Extreme weather: The new norm

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/barry-churns-off-louisiana-new-orleans-storm-surge-lower-than-feared-235610">Barry weakened further</a> on Sunday as the storm churned across the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/life-threatening-tropical-storm-barry-grinds-toward-louisiana-235408">US state of Louisiana</a>, bringing along heavy rains and the possibility of flooding and tornadoes.

There have been no reported deaths so far in Louisiana or neighbouring states from Barry, which had briefly become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season before the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tropical-storm-barry-nears-new-orleans-raising-flood-threat-235161">National Hurricane Center</a> downgraded it to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression.

Still, as the storm moved inland on a northern track, it packed a serious punch.

Louisianans kept a wary eye on rivers and canals badly swollen by the torrential rainfall, following an extraordinarily wet season farther up the Mississippi River. &nbsp;

This is "the wettest year we've had since 1895," Major General Richard Kaiser, who heads the Mississippi River Commission, said on Fox News.

He said the broad river is "the highest it's been for a long time" just below flood stage.

Bands of heavy rain continued to lash New Orleans, the state's biggest city, but its airport was able to resume normal service after cancelling all flights on Saturday.

Fears that the levee system protecting New Orleans could be compromised eased.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who a day earlier had urged residents not to be complacent, said in a news conference Sunday that "we made it through the storm. We are lucky; we were spared."

Dangers remain&nbsp;

As of 4:00 pm Sunday (2100 GMT), the storm's maximum sustained winds had dropped to 35 miles (55 kilometres) per hour. It was located north-northeast of Shreveport in western Louisiana, moving towards Arkansas, the National Hurricane Center said.

"Further weakening is expected as the centre moves farther inland, and Barry is forecast to degenerate into a remnant low-pressure system by Monday night," the NHC said.

US Senator Bill Cassidy said of the storm on Fox News: "We have seen worse."&nbsp;

Evacuation orders had already been lifted in several locales including Plaquemines Parish, south of New Orleans, where up to 10,000 residents had been under orders to leave.

But on Sunday, National Guard members were still laying down sand-filled barriers in a bid to contain flooding after "severely high water" overtopped levees in the Plaquemines town of Myrtle Grove, according to parish information officer Jade Duplessis.

Pete Gaynor, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told Fox that "there are still life-threatening conditions."&nbsp;

"The rain is the threat," he added, noting that floodwaters farther up the engorged Mississippi will be moving south in the coming days.&nbsp;

Many coastal areas remained on alert.

Tornadoes were possible in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee, the NHC said.

Rainfall estimates lowered further to between three and five inches (8 to 13 centimetres) over south-central Louisiana but rivers and canals are already near capacity.

Across southern Louisiana, Barry's heavy winds scattered tree branches and knocked down power lines, leaving an estimated hundred thousand people without electricity. Reporters saw localized flooding and badly swollen waterways.

Memories of Katrina&nbsp;

The eye of the storm made landfall Saturday at tiny Intracoastal City.

Rivers overtopped their levees in several locations, including part of coastal Terrebonne Parish.

The Atchafalaya River swallowed a waterfront pedestrian promenade in Morgan City.

For many, the storm revived unpleasant memories of Hurricane Katrina.

While thousands of Louisianans fled for safety as the storm approached, others hunkered down to ride it out, sometimes defying mandatory evacuation orders.

On the huge Lake Pontchartrain's southern shore in northern New Orleans, 72-year-old retired postal worker Mike Pisciotta shrugged off Barry's local effects as he stood on the lake's level.&nbsp;

"It hasn't been anything," he said while acknowledging that other areas were harder hit. "I guess we are lucky."

On Pontchartrain's northern edge, 61-year-old Gerard Braud, a communications consultant, said there were five feet (1.5 meters) of water under his elevated lakefront home.

"It extended back in some places, five, six, seven blocks from the lake," he said, adding, "Water levels are the biggest threat in a weak storm like this."

Not far away, Michael Forbes, 61, a prosecuting attorney, said lake levels were far higher than normal due to the wind blowing water in from the Gulf and Mississippi River water being channelled into the lake to ease flood pressure.

"People are used to it, and they're scared of it, too," he said. "Every year it's a worry."

In 2005, Katrina the costliest and deadliest hurricane in recent US history submerged about 80 per cent of New Orleans after the city's levee system failed, causing about 1,800 deaths and more than $150 billion in damage.&nbsp;

Barry weakened further on Sunday as the storm churned across the US state of Louisiana, bringing along heavy rains and the possibility of flooding and tornadoes.

Barry weakened further on Sunday as the storm churned across the US state of Louisiana, bringing along heavy rains and the possibility of flooding and tornadoes. There have been no reported deaths so far in Louisiana or neighbouring states from Barry, which had briefly become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season before the National Hurricane Center downgraded it to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression. Still, as the storm moved inland on a northern track, it packed a serious punch. Louisianans kept a wary eye on rivers and canals badly swollen by the torrential rainfall, following an extraordinarily wet season farther up the Mississippi River. This is "the wettest year we've had since 1895," Major General Richard Kaiser, who heads the Mississippi River Commission, said on Fox News. He said the broad river is "the highest it's been for a long time" just below flood stage. Bands of heavy rain continued to lash New Orleans, the state's biggest city, but its airport was able to resume normal service after cancelling all flights on Saturday. Fears that the levee system protecting New Orleans could be compromised eased. Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who a day earlier had urged residents not to be complacent, said in a news conference Sunday that "we made it through the storm. We are lucky; we were spared." Dangers remain As of 4:00 pm Sunday (2100 GMT), the storm's maximum sustained winds had dropped to 35 miles (55 kilometres) per hour. It was located north-northeast of Shreveport in western Louisiana, moving towards Arkansas, the National Hurricane Center said. "Further weakening is expected as the centre moves farther inland, and Barry is forecast to degenerate into a remnant low-pressure system by Monday night," the NHC said. US Senator Bill Cassidy said of the storm on Fox News: "We have seen worse." Evacuation orders had already been lifted in several locales including Plaquemines Parish, south of New Orleans, where up to 10,000 residents had been under orders to leave. But on Sunday, National Guard members were still laying down sand-filled barriers in a bid to contain flooding after "severely high water" overtopped levees in the Plaquemines town of Myrtle Grove, according to parish information officer Jade Duplessis. Pete Gaynor, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told Fox that "there are still life-threatening conditions." "The rain is the threat," he added, noting that floodwaters farther up the engorged Mississippi will be moving south in the coming days. Many coastal areas remained on alert. Tornadoes were possible in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee, the NHC said. Rainfall estimates lowered further to between three and five inches (8 to 13 centimetres) over south-central Louisiana but rivers and canals are already near capacity. Across southern Louisiana, Barry's heavy winds scattered tree branches and knocked down power lines, leaving an estimated hundred thousand people without electricity. Reporters saw localized flooding and badly swollen waterways. Memories of Katrina The eye of the storm made landfall Saturday at tiny Intracoastal City. Rivers overtopped their levees in several locations, including part of coastal Terrebonne Parish. The Atchafalaya River swallowed a waterfront pedestrian promenade in Morgan City. For many, the storm revived unpleasant memories of Hurricane Katrina. While thousands of Louisianans fled for safety as the storm approached, others hunkered down to ride it out, sometimes defying mandatory evacuation orders. On the huge Lake Pontchartrain's southern shore in northern New Orleans, 72-year-old retired postal worker Mike Pisciotta shrugged off Barry's local effects as he stood on the lake's level. "It hasn't been anything," he said while acknowledging that other areas were harder hit. "I guess we are lucky." On Pontchartrain's northern edge, 61-year-old Gerard Braud, a communications consultant, said there were five feet (1.5 meters) of water under his elevated lakefront home. "It extended back in some places, five, six, seven blocks from the lake," he said, adding, "Water levels are the biggest threat in a weak storm like this." Not far away, Michael Forbes, 61, a prosecuting attorney, said lake levels were far higher than normal due to the wind blowing water in from the Gulf and Mississippi River water being channelled into the lake to ease flood pressure. "People are used to it, and they're scared of it, too," he said. "Every year it's a worry." In 2005, Katrina the costliest and deadliest hurricane in recent US history submerged about 80 per cent of New Orleans after the city's levee system failed, causing about 1,800 deaths and more than $150 billion in damage.

Barry weakens, but US officials warn of heavy rains, floods, tornadoes

At least 47 people were killed in landslide in Nepal due to heavy rainfall and flooding.133 people are rescued from the settlements on high risk. Watch this video to know more.

Nepal floods: 47 killed in landslide, 133 people rescued

Barry rolled into the Louisiana coast Saturday, flooding highways, forcing people to scramble to rooftops and dumping heavy rain that could test the levees and pumps that were bolstered after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005.

Barry makes landfall in Louisiana, weakening slightly to a tropical storm

Major storm Barry slammed into Louisiana on Saturday, pelting the region with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/barry-churns-off-louisiana-new-orleans-storm-surge-lower-than-feared-235610">heavy rain and ferocious winds</a> as millions of Americans braced for the serious flooding expected to follow.

After briefly becoming the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/life-threatening-tropical-storm-barry-grinds-toward-louisiana-235408">Barry</a> was downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall -- but it nevertheless packed a serious punch as it moved inland.

All flights in and out of the airport in the state's biggest city New Orleans were cancelled, thousands had evacuated their homes, tens of thousands had lost power and first responders were poised for action.

Fears that the levee system in New Orleans could be compromised had eased after the Army Corps of Engineers voiced confidence that it would hold, but Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents not to be complacent.

"We are not in any way out of the woods," she said, adding that flash flooding could still occur into Sunday.

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At 4:00 pm (2100 GMT), the storm was packing winds of 65 miles (100 kilometers) per hour, the National Hurricane Center said and was located near the city of Lafayette, moving north-northwest at seven mph.

"Much of the rain associated with Tropical Storm #Barry this weekend over Louisiana and Mississippi will be lagging behind the centre of the storm," the National Weather Service said in a tweet.&nbsp;

Heavier rain was expected late Saturday, spreading north on Sunday, with 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimetres) in the forecast.

In St. John's Parish next to New Orleans, some areas were already under two or more feet (60 centimetres) of water, local television footage showed.

"The people of Louisiana are resilient, and while the next few days may be challenging, I am confident that we are going to get through this," Governor John Bel Edwards said.

Cajun Navy

The eye of the storm made landfall at Intracoastal City, a speck of a town with a few houses and businesses. Part of the main road was flooded Saturday afternoon, as were some waterfront businesses, with water rising by the minute.

News footage showed localized flooding, swollen waterways, and downed power lines and trees across south Louisiana as rivers overtopped their levees in several locations, including part of coastal Terrebonne Parish where authorities had issued a mandatory evacuation notice.

The Atchafalaya River had swallowed the waterfront pedestrian prominade in Morgan City, which was entire without power, as about 10 members of America's Cajun Navy citizen rescue group assembled under a highway overpass.

"We're just neighbours helping neighbours," John Billiot, 39, the group's president, told AFP.&nbsp;

They have been conducting volunteer rescues since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and were equipped with five flat-bottom rescue boats, a high-clearance, military-style truck and 86 boats staged in the region in preparation for the latest storm.

"We're still waiting. Barry is playing peek-a-boo with us," Billiot said.

For many, the storm and potential for large-scale flooding revived unpleasant memories of deadly Hurricane Katrina.

Thousands have packed up and left their homes as floodwaters hit low-lying areas like Plaquemines Parish, where road closures left some communities isolated.

Others hunkered down to ride out the squall, despite mandatory evacuation orders and the risk of dangerous storm surges.

"Category one, I'd say, is not much to worry about. A one? That's a thunderstorm. I'll be back to work Monday," William Manuel, a maintenance worker living in Bayou Vista, not far from Morgan City, told AFP.

Dangerous conditions

Louisiana is facing an extraordinarily dangerous confluence of conditions, experts say.

The level of the Mississippi River, already swollen from historic rains and flooding upstream, was at nearly 17 feet (5.2 meters) in New Orleans -- just below flood stage.

River levels are expected to peak at just over 17 feet, according to Saturday's forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

US Senator Bill Cassidy said officials with the Army Corps of Engineers told him they were "confident" that the 20-foot-high levee system protecting New Orleans, a city of 400,000, would hold.

"There's still going to be two to three feet between the top of the levee and the top of the floodwaters," Cassidy told Fox News.

In 2005, Katrina -- the costliest and deadliest hurricane in recent US history -- submerged about 80 per cent of New Orleans after the city's levee system failed, causing some 1,800 deaths and more than $150 billion in damage.

Major storm Barry slammed into Louisiana on Saturday, pelting the region with heavy rain and ferocious winds as millions of Americans braced for the serious flooding expected to follow.

Major storm Barry slammed into Louisiana on Saturday, pelting the region with heavy rain and ferocious winds as millions of Americans braced for the serious flooding expected to follow. After briefly becoming the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, Barry was downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall -- but it nevertheless packed a serious punch as it moved inland. All flights in and out of the airport in the state's biggest city New Orleans were cancelled, thousands had evacuated their homes, tens of thousands had lost power and first responders were poised for action. Fears that the levee system in New Orleans could be compromised had eased after the Army Corps of Engineers voiced confidence that it would hold, but Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents not to be complacent. "We are not in any way out of the woods," she said, adding that flash flooding could still occur into Sunday. × At 4:00 pm (2100 GMT), the storm was packing winds of 65 miles (100 kilometers) per hour, the National Hurricane Center said and was located near the city of Lafayette, moving north-northwest at seven mph. "Much of the rain associated with Tropical Storm #Barry this weekend over Louisiana and Mississippi will be lagging behind the centre of the storm," the National Weather Service said in a tweet. Heavier rain was expected late Saturday, spreading north on Sunday, with 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimetres) in the forecast. In St. John's Parish next to New Orleans, some areas were already under two or more feet (60 centimetres) of water, local television footage showed. "The people of Louisiana are resilient, and while the next few days may be challenging, I am confident that we are going to get through this," Governor John Bel Edwards said. Cajun Navy The eye of the storm made landfall at Intracoastal City, a speck of a town with a few houses and businesses. Part of the main road was flooded Saturday afternoon, as were some waterfront businesses, with water rising by the minute. News footage showed localized flooding, swollen waterways, and downed power lines and trees across south Louisiana as rivers overtopped their levees in several locations, including part of coastal Terrebonne Parish where authorities had issued a mandatory evacuation notice. The Atchafalaya River had swallowed the waterfront pedestrian prominade in Morgan City, which was entire without power, as about 10 members of America's Cajun Navy citizen rescue group assembled under a highway overpass. "We're just neighbours helping neighbours," John Billiot, 39, the group's president, told AFP. They have been conducting volunteer rescues since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and were equipped with five flat-bottom rescue boats, a high-clearance, military-style truck and 86 boats staged in the region in preparation for the latest storm. "We're still waiting. Barry is playing peek-a-boo with us," Billiot said. For many, the storm and potential for large-scale flooding revived unpleasant memories of deadly Hurricane Katrina. Thousands have packed up and left their homes as floodwaters hit low-lying areas like Plaquemines Parish, where road closures left some communities isolated. Others hunkered down to ride out the squall, despite mandatory evacuation orders and the risk of dangerous storm surges. "Category one, I'd say, is not much to worry about. A one? That's a thunderstorm. I'll be back to work Monday," William Manuel, a maintenance worker living in Bayou Vista, not far from Morgan City, told AFP. Dangerous conditions Louisiana is facing an extraordinarily dangerous confluence of conditions, experts say. The level of the Mississippi River, already swollen from historic rains and flooding upstream, was at nearly 17 feet (5.2 meters) in New Orleans -- just below flood stage. River levels are expected to peak at just over 17 feet, according to Saturday's forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). US Senator Bill Cassidy said officials with the Army Corps of Engineers told him they were "confident" that the 20-foot-high levee system protecting New Orleans, a city of 400,000, would hold. "There's still going to be two to three feet between the top of the levee and the top of the floodwaters," Cassidy told Fox News. In 2005, Katrina -- the costliest and deadliest hurricane in recent US history -- submerged about 80 per cent of New Orleans after the city's levee system failed, causing some 1,800 deaths and more than $150 billion in damage.

Hurricane Barry makes landfall in Louisiana, weakens to tropical storm

City officials warned New Orleans residents on Friday to secure their homes, stock up on supplies and prepare to huddle indoors with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-orleans-braces-for-flooding-trump-declares-emergency-ahead-of-storm-barry-235308">Tropical Storm Barry</a> poised to make landfall as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019.

Barry's maximum sustained winds were clocked at 65 miles per hour (100 kph) as it churned through the northern Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana. Meteorologists warned that torrential rains - as much as 2 feet (60 cm) in some places - are likely to unleash severe flooding.

While New Orleans authorities refrained from ordering evacuations and advised residents to shelter in place instead, tourism officials reported an exodus of hotel guests checking out early on Friday. Some airlines, including British Airways, have cancelled outbound flights from the city through Saturday.

Mandatory evacuations were imposed in flood-prone coastal areas of two neighbouring parishes south of the city.

US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for Louisiana, and the region's oil production was scaled back by nearly 60 per cent as energy companies evacuated offshore drilling facilities.

A performance scheduled for Sunday by the Rolling Stones at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which served as an emergency shelter during the Hurricane Katrina flood catastrophe of 2005, was postponed until Monday.

Watch: Extreme weather: The new norm

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The impending storm was widely seen as a key test of the fortified flood defences put in place following Katrina, which inundated much of the city and killed some 1,800 people.

Barry is expected to cross the coastline southwest of New Orleans on Saturday morning. It is forecast to reach Category-1 hurricane strength by then, with winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph), the National Weather Service said.

Dangerous and life-threatening

The storm's flood potential, rather than its high winds, posed the greatest danger to the low-lying metropolitan landscape of New Orleans, a city virtually surrounded on all sides by rising waters.

"Tropical Storm Barry is a dangerous and life-threatening storm," Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott said at a news conference. "Major to ... record flooding will be possible."

Authorities were keeping a particularly watchful eye on the levee system built to contain the lower Mississippi River, which winds through the heart of New Orleans and was already well above flood stage from months of heavy upstream rainfall over the Midwest.

A coastal storm surge into the mouth of the Mississippi is expected to push its crest to 19 feet (5.79 m) in New Orleans on Saturday, the highest level since 1950 and dangerously close to the top of the city's levees.

The brunt of Barry was expected to skirt the western edge of New Orleans, avoiding a direct hit. But Mayor LaToya Cantrell said 48 hours of heavy downpours could overwhelm pumps designed to purge streets and storm drains of excess water.

"There is no system in the world that can handle that amount of rainfall in such a short period," Cantrell said on Twitter.

New Orleans was already saturated after thunderstorms drenched the city with a foot of rain on Wednesday.

"If it's worse than the other day, it'd be the worst week since Katrina," said musician Robert Harris, 61, polishing his trombone while sitting in a folding chair on a sidewalk.

Floodgates and levees

While street flooding seemed probable, officials from the US Army Corps of Engineers insisted that significant breaching of the 20-foot-tall levees in New Orleans was unlikely.

All levee floodgates were being closed, along with a giant surge barrier erected after Katrina.

The chance of overtopping levees seemed greater farther downstream, where the levee walls are lower.

The level of Lake Pontchartrain, an estuary on the city's northern flank, rose by 3 feet on Friday, triggering the closure of a flood gate on a canal that breached during Katrina, said Derrick Boese, chief administrator for the local flood control agency.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for areas of Plaquemines Parish beyond the levees southeast of the city and for low-lying communities in Jefferson Parish, to the southwest.

New Orleans residents planning to ride out the storm flocked to supermarkets for bottled water, ice, snacks and beer, thronging grocery stores in such numbers that some ran out of shopping carts. Throughout the city, motorists left cars parked on the raised median strips of roadways hoping the extra elevation would protect them from flood damage.

City residents were asked to remain indoors after 8 pm on Friday.

Larry Gumpert, the 74-year-old owner of a pest-control company, said he planned to hunker down at home, cooking and catching up on household chores.

"If all the predictions come true, we're going to see major street flooding," Gumpert said. "The Army Corps has spent time, money and energy trying to fortify the city. This is a good test of what they have accomplished since Katrina. We'll see."

City officials warned New Orleans residents on Friday to secure their homes, stock up on supplies and prepare to huddle indoors with Tropical Storm Barry poised to make landfall as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019.

City officials warned New Orleans residents on Friday to secure their homes, stock up on supplies and prepare to huddle indoors with Tropical Storm Barry poised to make landfall as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019. Barry's maximum sustained winds were clocked at 65 miles per hour (100 kph) as it churned through the northern Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana. Meteorologists warned that torrential rains - as much as 2 feet (60 cm) in some places - are likely to unleash severe flooding. While New Orleans authorities refrained from ordering evacuations and advised residents to shelter in place instead, tourism officials reported an exodus of hotel guests checking out early on Friday. Some airlines, including British Airways, have cancelled outbound flights from the city through Saturday. Mandatory evacuations were imposed in flood-prone coastal areas of two neighbouring parishes south of the city. US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for Louisiana, and the region's oil production was scaled back by nearly 60 per cent as energy companies evacuated offshore drilling facilities. A performance scheduled for Sunday by the Rolling Stones at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which served as an emergency shelter during the Hurricane Katrina flood catastrophe of 2005, was postponed until Monday. Watch: Extreme weather: The new norm × The impending storm was widely seen as a key test of the fortified flood defences put in place following Katrina, which inundated much of the city and killed some 1,800 people. Barry is expected to cross the coastline southwest of New Orleans on Saturday morning. It is forecast to reach Category-1 hurricane strength by then, with winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph), the National Weather Service said. Dangerous and life-threatening The storm's flood potential, rather than its high winds, posed the greatest danger to the low-lying metropolitan landscape of New Orleans, a city virtually surrounded on all sides by rising waters. "Tropical Storm Barry is a dangerous and life-threatening storm," Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott said at a news conference. "Major to ... record flooding will be possible." Authorities were keeping a particularly watchful eye on the levee system built to contain the lower Mississippi River, which winds through the heart of New Orleans and was already well above flood stage from months of heavy upstream rainfall over the Midwest. A coastal storm surge into the mouth of the Mississippi is expected to push its crest to 19 feet (5.79 m) in New Orleans on Saturday, the highest level since 1950 and dangerously close to the top of the city's levees. The brunt of Barry was expected to skirt the western edge of New Orleans, avoiding a direct hit. But Mayor LaToya Cantrell said 48 hours of heavy downpours could overwhelm pumps designed to purge streets and storm drains of excess water. "There is no system in the world that can handle that amount of rainfall in such a short period," Cantrell said on Twitter. New Orleans was already saturated after thunderstorms drenched the city with a foot of rain on Wednesday. "If it's worse than the other day, it'd be the worst week since Katrina," said musician Robert Harris, 61, polishing his trombone while sitting in a folding chair on a sidewalk. Floodgates and levees While street flooding seemed probable, officials from the US Army Corps of Engineers insisted that significant breaching of the 20-foot-tall levees in New Orleans was unlikely. All levee floodgates were being closed, along with a giant surge barrier erected after Katrina. The chance of overtopping levees seemed greater farther downstream, where the levee walls are lower. The level of Lake Pontchartrain, an estuary on the city's northern flank, rose by 3 feet on Friday, triggering the closure of a flood gate on a canal that breached during Katrina, said Derrick Boese, chief administrator for the local flood control agency. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for areas of Plaquemines Parish beyond the levees southeast of the city and for low-lying communities in Jefferson Parish, to the southwest. New Orleans residents planning to ride out the storm flocked to supermarkets for bottled water, ice, snacks and beer, thronging grocery stores in such numbers that some ran out of shopping carts. Throughout the city, motorists left cars parked on the raised median strips of roadways hoping the extra elevation would protect them from flood damage. City residents were asked to remain indoors after 8 pm on Friday. Larry Gumpert, the 74-year-old owner of a pest-control company, said he planned to hunker down at home, cooking and catching up on household chores. "If all the predictions come true, we're going to see major street flooding," Gumpert said. "The Army Corps has spent time, money and energy trying to fortify the city. This is a good test of what they have accomplished since Katrina. We'll see."

'Life-threatening' Tropical Storm Barry grinds toward Louisiana

Tropical <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/life-threatening-tropical-storm-barry-grinds-toward-louisiana-235408&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjqt4CY5bHjAhUKO3AKHTmWCuYQFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3enmOBvnyahBlPshYI5VEE">Storm Barry</a>, poised to make landfall as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019, churned ever closer to Louisiana's shore early on Saturday as most New Orleans residents huddled at home, or in bars, bracing for the threat of severe flooding.

Authorities urged citizens to secure property, stock up provisions and shelter in place. However, some nervous residents opted to flee the city, and tourism officials reported an abrupt exodus of out-of-town visitors on Friday.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered in outlying coastal areas beyond the protection of levees in neighbouring Plaquemines and Jefferson parishes south of the city.

The storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour (100 kph), was on track to reach hurricane strength shortly before crossing the Louisiana coastline southwest of New Orleans on Saturday, the National Weather Service said.

Landfall predictions were pushed back from sunrise to late morning or early afternoon, as the storm crawled across the Gulf Coast at about 3 mph, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said early Saturday.

Rain bands were already hitting the coast before sunrise, and more than 56,000 homes and businesses in Louisiana were without power, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.

Meteorologists warned that torrential rain - as much as 2 feet (60 cm) in some places - could unleash severe flooding as the storm moves inland from the Gulf of Mexico, where oil and gas operations have already cut production by nearly 60 per cent.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/new-orleans-braces-for-flooding-trump-declares-emergency-ahead-of-storm-barry-235308&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJkMm_5bHjAhXLdXAKHZ-LCuwQFjAFegQIChAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1wf734-7VGa_HjR097sZt5">US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for Louisiana</a> on Friday, freeing up federal disaster assistance if needed.

The impending storm could test beefed-up flood defences put in place since the 2005 calamity of Hurricane Katrina, which left much of New Orleans underwater and killed about 1,800 people.

Too much water

The brunt of Barry's force was expected to skirt the western edge of New Orleans, avoiding a direct hit on a low-lying city virtually surrounded on all sides by rising waters.

But Mayor LaToya Cantrell said 48 hours of heavy downpours could overwhelm pumps designed to purge streets and storm drains of excess water.

"There is no system in the world that can handle that amount of rainfall in such a short period," Cantrell said on Twitter.

Authorities were paying especially close attention to the levee system built to contain the lower Mississippi River, which winds through the heart of New Orleans and was already above flood stage from months of heavy upstream rainfall over the Midwest.

A coastal storm surge into the mouth of the Mississippi was expected to push its crest to 19 feet (5.79 m) in New Orleans on Saturday, the highest level since 1950 and dangerously close to the top of the city's levees.

New Orleans was already saturated after thunderstorms drenched it with a foot of rain on Wednesday.

While street flooding seemed probable, the US&nbsp;Army Corps of Engineers insisted that significant breaching of the 20-foot-tall levees in New Orleans was unlikely.

Levee floodgates normally left open to allow passage of traffic were being closed, along with a giant ocean surge barrier erected after Katrina.

The level of Lake Pontchartrain, an estuary on the city's northern flank, rose by 3 feet on Friday, triggering the closure of a floodgate on a drainage canal that breached during Katrina, officials said.

Ahead of the storm, New Orleans residents flocked to supermarkets for bottled water, ice, snacks and beer, thronging grocery stores in such numbers that some ran out of shopping carts.

Across the city, motorists left cars parked on the raised median strips of roadways, hoping the extra elevation would protect them from flood damage. Sandbags were stacked outside of hotels, shops and other businesses along Canal Street.

The sheriff's office said dozens of jail inmates held on minor charges were released to make room for nearly 70 inmates transferred from a temporary lockup to the main detention facility, which was built to withstand a major hurricane.

City residents were asked to remain indoors after 8 p.m. but some, in keeping with New Orleans' party spirit, decided to hunker down in more festive surroundings.

"The rain's not going to shut us down, we're going to shut this place down," said Brett Tidball, 33, who gathered with eight friends at Bourbon Street bar for his bachelor party, asking the pianist for back-to-back songs about bad weather.

Prince's "Purple Rain" echoed down the street.

Tropical Storm Barry, poised to make landfall as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019, churned ever closer to Louisiana's shore early on Saturday as most New Orleans residents huddled at home, or in bars, bracing for the threat of severe flooding.

Tropical Storm Barry, poised to make landfall as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019, churned ever closer to Louisiana's shore early on Saturday as most New Orleans residents huddled at home, or in bars, bracing for the threat of severe flooding. Authorities urged citizens to secure property, stock up provisions and shelter in place. However, some nervous residents opted to flee the city, and tourism officials reported an abrupt exodus of out-of-town visitors on Friday. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in outlying coastal areas beyond the protection of levees in neighbouring Plaquemines and Jefferson parishes south of the city. The storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour (100 kph), was on track to reach hurricane strength shortly before crossing the Louisiana coastline southwest of New Orleans on Saturday, the National Weather Service said. Landfall predictions were pushed back from sunrise to late morning or early afternoon, as the storm crawled across the Gulf Coast at about 3 mph, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said early Saturday. Rain bands were already hitting the coast before sunrise, and more than 56,000 homes and businesses in Louisiana were without power, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us. Meteorologists warned that torrential rain - as much as 2 feet (60 cm) in some places - could unleash severe flooding as the storm moves inland from the Gulf of Mexico, where oil and gas operations have already cut production by nearly 60 per cent. US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for Louisiana on Friday, freeing up federal disaster assistance if needed. The impending storm could test beefed-up flood defences put in place since the 2005 calamity of Hurricane Katrina, which left much of New Orleans underwater and killed about 1,800 people. Too much water The brunt of Barry's force was expected to skirt the western edge of New Orleans, avoiding a direct hit on a low-lying city virtually surrounded on all sides by rising waters. But Mayor LaToya Cantrell said 48 hours of heavy downpours could overwhelm pumps designed to purge streets and storm drains of excess water. "There is no system in the world that can handle that amount of rainfall in such a short period," Cantrell said on Twitter. Authorities were paying especially close attention to the levee system built to contain the lower Mississippi River, which winds through the heart of New Orleans and was already above flood stage from months of heavy upstream rainfall over the Midwest. A coastal storm surge into the mouth of the Mississippi was expected to push its crest to 19 feet (5.79 m) in New Orleans on Saturday, the highest level since 1950 and dangerously close to the top of the city's levees. New Orleans was already saturated after thunderstorms drenched it with a foot of rain on Wednesday. While street flooding seemed probable, the US Army Corps of Engineers insisted that significant breaching of the 20-foot-tall levees in New Orleans was unlikely. Levee floodgates normally left open to allow passage of traffic were being closed, along with a giant ocean surge barrier erected after Katrina. The level of Lake Pontchartrain, an estuary on the city's northern flank, rose by 3 feet on Friday, triggering the closure of a floodgate on a drainage canal that breached during Katrina, officials said. Ahead of the storm, New Orleans residents flocked to supermarkets for bottled water, ice, snacks and beer, thronging grocery stores in such numbers that some ran out of shopping carts. Across the city, motorists left cars parked on the raised median strips of roadways, hoping the extra elevation would protect them from flood damage. Sandbags were stacked outside of hotels, shops and other businesses along Canal Street. The sheriff's office said dozens of jail inmates held on minor charges were released to make room for nearly 70 inmates transferred from a temporary lockup to the main detention facility, which was built to withstand a major hurricane. City residents were asked to remain indoors after 8 p.m. but some, in keeping with New Orleans' party spirit, decided to hunker down in more festive surroundings. "The rain's not going to shut us down, we're going to shut this place down," said Brett Tidball, 33, who gathered with eight friends at Bourbon Street bar for his bachelor party, asking the pianist for back-to-back songs about bad weather. Prince's "Purple Rain" echoed down the street.

New Orleans residents huddle at home, and in bars, ahead of hurricane

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