New Orleans prepared for Hurricane Isaac

The arrival of Hurricane Isaac presents the city of New Orleans with its first test of a $14.5 billion improvement in levees, pumps, flood walls and other protections built after Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu told reporters that preparations and precautions are being taken very seriously. Though nowhere near the strength of the storm that devastated the city in 2005, “[Isaac] is plenty big enough to put a big hurt on you,” he said, “if you fall into complacency.” He added, “Let's not do that.” Isaac came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 80 MPH at 6:45 p.m. CDT near the mouth of the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana. Within hours of making landfall, the storm had knocked out power to more than 200,000 homes and businesses. Listen to our report: