NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Loyola University New Orleans issued a statement Friday explaining that it is closely monitoring the storm system in the Gulf of Mexico.
A slow-moving tropical depression is slogging toward New Orleans, packing walloping rains that could drench the region with up to 20 inches.
Loyola has activated its Emergency Management Team and is making preparations in the event the storm system should strengthen.
At this time, university officials say the storm system poses no threat to the university. However, Loyola’s Emergency Management Team will meet Friday at 10:30 a.m. to determine an action plan for the university over the next few days. Another update will be given to the university community following that meeting.
Louisiana’s governor declared a state of emergency Thursday because of the threat of flash flooding.
Tropical storm warnings were issued from Mississippi to Texas including New Orleans. The National Hurricane Center said the system will dump 10 to 15 inches of rain over southern areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Sunday and as much as 20 inches in some spots.
The depression could become Tropical Storm Lee, the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Forecasts were for landfall over the weekend on southern Louisiana’s coast. The depression had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph Friday morning. It was drifting slowly north near 1 mph with the hurricane center predicting slow, possibly erratic motion.
“Wow. This could be a very heavy, prolific rainmaker,” National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Revitte said.
According to a hurricane center chart, maximum sustained winds could reach 60 mph by Saturday, lower than hurricane strength of 74 mph.
Gov. Bobby Jindal said he was concerned about the serious threat of flash flooding in his state, leading to his emergency action. After devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005, nothing is taken for granted.
Craig Taffaro, president of coastal St. Bernard Parish, said some flood gates were being closed along bayous and residents were being warned to brace for heavy rain. Still, in a parish that was nearly wiped out six years ago by Katrina, Taffaro wasn’t expecting a major event.
“We’d like the public to use this as a drill. Hopefully that’s all it will be,” he said early Thursday afternoon.
The Army Corps of Engineers, which operates major flood control structures at New Orleans, was monitoring developments but didn’t plan on closing any flood control structures yet, spokesman Ricky Boyett said in an email.
Emergency officials along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast expected to get plans in place Friday to deal with the effects from the tropical depression. Jackson County spokesman Ken Flanagan said conference calls were scheduled Friday with Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, along with weather officials.
Already, the storm has forced two major petroleum producers to remove crews from a handful of production platforms. Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil said they would also cut off a small amount of production. Both moves affect only a fraction of production.
Louisiana needs rain — just not that much, that fast. Both Texas and Louisiana have been suffering through drought. New Orleans, which was least affected by the drought, already was being pelted by sporadic rain. More of a problem is stubborn marsh fire that has blanketed the city with smoke, though the rain will help extinguish it.
“Sometimes you get what you ask for,” New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. “Unfortunately it looks like we’re going to get more than we needed.”
Louisiana’s emergency action allows Jindal to activate the National Guard if necessary and generally makes it easier for parishes and the state to prepare. It also lets parishes ask the state to repay money spent to prepare and fight floods, and lets the state track such expenses, Jindal spokesman Kyle Plotkin said.
“Now is the time for Louisianians to make sure they have a game plan for themselves and their families should this storm strengthen,” Jindal said in a statement.
On Grand Isle, the state’s only inhabited barrier island, people were keeping an eye on the storm that has already brought rain there.
“We’re watching it — we’re watching it closely,” said June Brignac, owner of the Wateredge Beach Resort.
It’s not as frightening as having a Category 2 or 3 hurricane bearing down, she said.
“But we’re still concerned with all the rain that’s coming in, causing possible flooding of the highway going out. If we don’t leave, we may be trapped here until it’s completely past,” she said.
Katrina was the only storm to flood the suites in her motel, which is raised several feet from the ground, in the 20 years she has owned it.
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Associated Press writer Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Ala. and The Maroon staff, contributed to this report.
