- Title: USA: New Orleans gets ready for storn Isaac.
- Date: 28th August 2012
- Summary: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 28, 2012) (REUTERS) EMPTY STREET SCENE FRENCH QUARTER STORM CLOUDS ALINE PRESTON AND HER FAMILY ARRIVING AT HOTEL
- Embargoed: 12th September 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- City:
- Country: USA
- Topics: Disasters,Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA51D96O8IECXNM8JBLJ1AA5HJ1
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Balcony awnings come down and plywood goes up as New Orleans makes final preparations ahead of Isaac.
New Orleans French Quarter was bustling with activity on Tuesday (August 28) as workers removed balcony awnings and replaced them with thick sheets of plywood ahead of Isaac.
Slate gray clouds blanketed the city as the first weather bands of Isaac came ashore.
Aline Preston, a resident of New Orleans 9th Ward which was decimated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, evacuated her home and brought her four children to the French Quarter to weather the storm.
"Just taking no chances. As you can see (POINTS TO TROLLEY FULL OF SUPPLIES, WATER, AND SUITCASES) we packed like it's Katrina again because last time we lost everything," she said.
Walter, also a New Orleans native, planned to take shelter in the French Quarter as well.
"We normally evacuate to the French Quarter for storms. It is the highest part of the city and we feel really comfortable down here," he said.
Catherine and Walter Pearson, tourists from Waco, Texas, strolled through French Quarter searching for a place to breakfast - without much luck.
"The only bad thing is everything is boarded up and we are not sure there is going to be a place to eat dinner tonight. But so far so good. We will just see," she said.
The Pearsons are one of many tourists stranded in New Orleans after their flights home were canceled.
George Friedman, an owner of two hotels in the French Quarter, said the Pearsons are lucky they have a place to stay. He and many other hotel owners have shut down operations until Isaac passes.
"The guests have been vacated. They are gone. We put them out a couple of days ago. There best chance for safety is to leave because when the power goes off and water shuts down it will be uncomfortable," he said.
Rain and tropical storm force winds were expected to spread into the Gulf Coast region in the coming hours, bringing the threat of storm surge and flooding.
Isaac was centered 105 miles southeast of New Orleans and the mouth of the Mississippi River with top sustained winds of 70 miles per hour, just short of the 74 mph hurricane status. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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