Gustav kills 22; US Gulf Coast prepares

[marmar]

AP, via Yahoo!:



Gustav kills 22; US Gulf Coast prepares
By JONATHAN M. KATZ, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 26 minutes ago



PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Gustav swirled toward Cuba on Wednesday after triggering flooding and landslides that killed at least 22 people in the Caribbean. Its track pointed toward the U.S. Gulf coast, including Louisiana where Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc three years ago.

Oil prices jumped above US$119 a barrel as workers began to evacuate from the offshore rigs responsible for a quarter of U.S. crude production and much of America's natural gas.

"We know it's going to head into the Gulf. After that, we're not sure where it's heading," said Rebecca Waddington, a meteorologist at the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. "For that reason, everyone in Gulf needs to be monitoring the storm. At that point, we're expecting it to be a Category 3 hurricane."

On Wednesday, Gustav was moving off of Haiti's southwestern peninsula into the waters between Cuba and Jamaica. Its tentative track pointed directly at the Cayman Islands, an offshore banking center where residents boarded up homes and stocked up on emergency supplies in preparation for a possible direct hit Friday.

Friday is the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's strike on Louisiana and Mississippi, and Gustav's tentative track raised the possibility of a Labor Day landfall there. But the average error in five-day forecasts is about 310 miles (500 kms) in either direction, meaning the likeliest targets could be anywhere from south Texas to the Florida panhandle.

New Orleans officials began planning for possible evacuations, and urged people who might need help in an evacuation to call an emergency information number. Mississippi Emergency Management Director Mike Womack advised people along the coast to prepare. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080827/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/tropical_weather;_ylt=AhZppxT1NjNIoxec3vlLRvKs0NUE

[uppityperson]

1. k&r

[Virginia Dare]

2. They're predicting it to become a "major" hurricane..

heads up people all over the Gulf Coast.

[marmar]

4. No doubt.....Once it passes Cuba, it's got all that open, warm Gulf water to feed off of.

:scared:

[malaise]

3. 22 deaths so far

This move West towards Jamaica and then North West will no doubt add to those numbers, particularly on our North Coast. We're preparing for serious flooding because Gustav is moving very slowly.

[marmar]

5. Stay safe, malaise.....You're on the South Coast, right?

n/t

[malaise]

6. Thankfully

:D

We're safe but lots of others aren't so lucky. Hubby an dI are keeping our fingers crossed that we don't lose power and miss Obama tomorrow night.

add

[Virginia Dare]

7. Fay has finally made it up here to Virginia..

we need the rain but not all at once. I guess we'll be looking at Gustav next week sometime.

Take care, I hope you all make it through okay!...:hug:

[marmar]

Fay is still an issue?

That storm is like the Bush Administration - an unwanted guest that just won't leave.

[Virginia Dare]

10. The were evacuating in Charlotte NC this morning..

they got 8.5 inches of rain overnight...

[malaise]

11. I saw that

Looks like the reservoirs in the South East should be full by now.

[marmar]

9. Dupe ....

Time for a new mouse.

[jeff30997]

8. When I first heard about Gustav I immediately thought about you.

I hope it changes course and that everybody will be ok.Take care malaise.

[malaise]

12. Thanks jeff30997

Should be lots of water - we'll survive.

[jeff30997]

13. Cool.

I was worried about it.Take care malaise.Damn Gustav. :(

[xchrom]

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