New Orleans ordered to shelter in place as tropical storm Barry approaches

Jul. 13--New Orleans residents were ordered to take shelter Friday night with the approach of Tropical Storm Barry, which is expected to bring as much as 20 inches of rain and dangerous storm surges to the Gulf of Mexico.

Following President Trump declaring a state of emergency, officials warned Friday that the storm is likely to become a hurricane by the time it makes landfall on Saturday morning.

"This is happening. ... Your preparedness window is shrinking," National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham warned. He added: "It's powerful. It's strengthening. And water is going to be a big issue."

National Guard troops and rescue workers are posted throughout the state with boats and helicopters and emergency supplies at the ready.

The city of New Orleans ordered residents to shelter in place by 8 p.m. Friday -- 9 p.m. EDT -- in anticipation of the worst.

Even with floodgates closed, high-intensity rain over a short period of time could overwhelm the city's pump stations and cause street flooding.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards urged the public to take maximum precautions even if levees don't overflow.

"This is going to be a major rain event across a huge portion of Louisiana," Edwards said. "Look, there are three ways Louisiana floods -- storm surge, high rivers and rain. We're going to have all three."

The storm's intensity is less than the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but the governor warned that even if Barry turns into a "weak" hurricane, it will present a dangerous situation.

"Nobody should take this storm lightly just because it's supposed to be a Category 1 when it makes landfall," Edwards said. "The real danger in this storm was never about the wind anyway. It's always been about the rain."

Forecasters predicted Barry could add as much as 20 feet of storm surge to the Mississippi with a crest happening early Saturday, but revised those predictions late Friday night to say the risk of overtopping was minimal.

Several towns to the south of New Orleans have already evacuated.

In New Orleans, residents are bracing for the storm by gassing up generators and stocking bottled water and extra food.

Many are also taking an extra precaution and parking their cars on medians in order to better protect their vehicles from any flooding.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell hasn't called for a mandatory evacuation, but said it was up to residents to make that decision for themselves.

"They know their situation better than anyone else," she said.

One person who will be evacuating is Maria Thomas, a self-described housewife who lives in the suburb of Metairie with her wife. She suffers from multiple sclerosis and can't take the chance of going without air conditioning in the event of a power outage.

Throughout the city, businesses debated whether or not to stay open during the storm.

Cooter Brown's Tavern, a popular bar, didn't flood during Katrina. But co-owner Ivan Burgess said they were debating whether to stay open or close this weekend given concerns about Barry's flood risks.

"We've been really lucky, but that's only part of it. We have our employees' safety to consider," he said.

Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger posted a video of the band's iconic logo displayed on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome where the band is scheduled to perform on Monday.

"New Orleans we're going to be caught in a crossfire hurricane but we're staying to play the show on Monday night, so stay safe and see you all then," Jagger wrote.

With Wire News Services

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