Hurricane Isaac, which has been lashing the US Gulf Coast, has been downgraded to
a tropical storm. Nevertheless, the severe weather system still has the potential
to do major flooding damage as rainfall remains extremely heavy, particularly as it
heads inland over the state of Louisiana. Wind speeds are around 70 miles per hour,
just 4 miles per hour below a category 1 hurricane, making it difficult for rescue
services to operate. The storm is continuing to strain flood defences. Louisiana Governor
Bobby Jindal told reporters that the storm is likely to linger for some time. “This
is a slow-moving storm,” he said, adding, “it is going to cause a tremendous amount
of damage.” The elaborate defences built to protect the city of New Orleans after
it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina seven years ago, meanwhile, did seem to pass
their first major test. In districts outside of New Orleans, rising floodwaters forced
the evacuation of several thousand people from their homes, but no deaths or serious
injuries were reported. Listen: