Hurricane Francine intensified to a Category 2 storm on Wednesday, making landfall in Louisiana and threatening New Orleans and the wider Gulf Coast with powerful winds, heavy rain, and a significant storm surge. The storm has prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents in its path.
Francine’s maximum sustained winds reached 100 miles per hour (155 kph) as the eye of the storm hit the southern Louisiana coast near Morgan City, approximately 90 miles (145 km) southwest of New Orleans, according to the US National Hurricane Center. The hurricane’s classification was upgraded from Category 1 to Category 2 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, which denotes extremely dangerous winds capable of causing extensive damage.
Moving northeast at 17 mph (28 kph), Francine’s trajectory puts both Morgan City and New Orleans at risk. The New Orleans metropolitan area is under a hurricane watch, indicating that hurricane conditions are possible.
“It is on our doorstep. After the storm is over, please remain in place,” urged Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry during a press conference. “Stay off the roadway.”
Morgan City, anticipating the storm’s impact, imposed a curfew until 6 a.m. on Thursday. Police Chief Chad Adams emphasized the importance of residents sheltering in place, given the city’s population of 11,000.
As the hurricane moves across southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday night, state and federal emergency responses have been activated. Both Governor Landry and President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency, enabling the mobilization of emergency management resources and potential financial aid in the event of significant damage.
Multiple parishes along or near the Louisiana Gulf Coast issued mandatory evacuation orders, with the state transportation department providing evacuation maps. New Orleans authorities distributed sandbags at five locations to help residents prepare.
Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter was notably deserted on Wednesday afternoon, as residents heeded warnings to stay indoors. Although New Orleans had not yet experienced the anticipated winds, the eastern wall of the hurricane began to make landfall near Morgan City.
The storm’s approach stirs memories of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which devastated New Orleans and surrounding areas, resulting in nearly 1,400 deaths and $125 billion in damage. Since then, the federal government has invested $14.5 billion in a levee protection system, including storm water gates designed to prevent storm surges from flooding the city’s interior drainage canals, which had catastrophic failures during Katrina.
Water from Lake Pontchartrain, which borders New Orleans to the north, began to churn over its seawall. Grocery stores were boarded up by late afternoon, but not before residents stocked up on provisions. Steve Rodriguez, a New Orleans resident since 1983, shared his preparedness strategy: “We have our canned goods, our supplies. I was hoping to get some sausage. I’ve got meat in the freezer, but it would be easier to cook up some beans or something.”
The storm has already disrupted energy production and agricultural exports from the US Gulf of Mexico. Nearly 39% of oil and almost half of natural gas production in the Gulf were offline on Wednesday, with 171 production platforms and three rigs evacuated.
In Dulac, a coastal fishing community 70 miles southwest of New Orleans, fisherman Barry Rogers planned to ride out the storm on his 80-foot shrimp boat rather than at home. “The house is not going anywhere. If it does, there’s nothing you can do about it,” Rogers said. “If a rope breaks on the boat, I’d rather be there to tie up another one.”
As Hurricane Francine continues its path, residents are urged to stay informed and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
