Washington, July 14 (IANS) Tropical storm Barry made landfall in the US state of Louisiana and has weakened to a storm from a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC).
Barry became a hurricane as it was making its final approach toward the Gulf Coast onto Louisiana on Saturday morning, according to the NHC.
Barry is expected to bring dangerous storm surge and heavy rains across the north-central Gulf Coast following its landfall, mainly due to its slow movement toward the inland region, Xinhua news agency.
Residents in the affected regions who had not been put under voluntary or mandatory evacuation were told to take shelter.
Local governments and residents have geared up for the hurricane. New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana, are among the cities at high risk of flooding.
The Mississippi River is forecast to crest at 19 feet (about 5.8 meters) in New Orleans.
Both US states of Louisiana and Mississippi declared state of emergency in advance of Barry's arrival.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday night declared a federal state of emergency for Louisiana at Governor John Bel Edwards' request, a move that the governor said on Twitter would "help us better coordinate and respond to the incoming storm".
On its forecast track, Barry is projected to move northward through the Mississippi Valley through Sunday night.
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