Louisiana, Florida Scramble: Hurricane Ivan Due Within 24 Hours

MIAMI, Florida, September 15, 2004 (ENS) - The eye of Hurricane Ivan is now about 180 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and the storm is expected to hit the coastal United States within 24 hours, weather forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warn.

More than a million people have been advised to evacuate the Gulf coast area, where a hurricane warning is in effect from Grand Isle, Louisiana to Apalachicola, Florida. The warning covers the greater New Orleans area and Lake Pontchartrain.

Ivan is approaching Mobile Bay, moving north-northwest at about 12 miles per hour, and is expected turn to the north. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from Ivan's eye, while tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 260 miles.

Hurricane Ivan is in the Gulf of Mexico moving north-northwest towards the coast of Florida and Louisiana. The entire southeastern United States could be affected. (Photo courtesy NASA)

Forecasters say the core of Ivan will be near the coast within the warning area early Thursday morning.

Ivan is now considered a Category 4 hurricane, downgraded from the Category 5 that roared across the Caribbean for the past week leaving at least 70 people dead. But it is still a very dangerous storm with maximum sustained winds near 140 miles per hour with higher gusts.

Low-lying New Orleans is expected to be hard hit, and not everyone can take the advice of state and parish officials and evacuate to higher ground. Many low income residents have no car, little money and no place to go.

At eight feet below sea level New Orleans is one of the lowest points in the United States, and flooding is of great concern to businesses and the city's one million residents.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is warning everyone who can leave the city to evacuate. (Photo courtesy City of New Orleans)

Mayor Nagin said that police, fire and emergency service workers would remain on the job, but all other city services are shut down until the storm has passed. Buses and streetcars stopped running at midnight, but Amtrak will maintain passenger train service.

“This is a very dangerous storm. We remain vigilant and will do all we can to protect the citizens of the city of New Orleans,” the mayor said.

To shelter city residents, New Orleans school officials are making 10 schools available as shelters and 27 buses to transport people to these buildings. But Orleans Parish schools facilities director Steve Freeman told the "Times-Picayune" newspaper that the shelters would be no more than a space and would likely be without electricity or food.

Mandatory evacuations have been announced for the coastal areas of Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parish, both east of New Orleans in low-lying coastal areas. Coastal communities in Mississippi and Alabama have also begun issuing evacuation orders.

In this webcam view, the Algiers-New Orleans ferry terminal on the Mississippi River is quiet as the hurricane approaches. (Photo courtesy NOLA RiverCam)

In Florida, hurricane warnings and evacuation orders have gone out to the coastal residents in the panhandle. Governor Jeb Bush and state emergency management officials are urging Floridians along the warning areas to "rush plans to completion and seek safe shelter now."

Floridians are still picking up the pieces after Hurricane Charley struck on August 13 and Hurricane Frances followed on September 1 and 2. To help them recover President George W. Bush, brother of the Florida governor, on Tuesday submitted a supplemental budget request totaling $3.1 billion to Congress.

"It is extremely rare for two hurricanes - a Category IV followed by a Category II - to hit the same geographical area within a three week period," said the President.

The funds requested will go primarily to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is leading response and recovery efforts. This request is in addition to an earlier, already approved request for $2 billion to help in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes.

Funding will also be provided to the departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Defense, and Veterans Affairs. Funds are also being sought for the Corps of Engineers, NASA, the Small Business Administration, and for the American Red Cross.

Many homes were devastated by Hurricane Frances on September 1 and 2. (Photo courtesy Red Cross)

Small Business Administration loan supports and guarantees for affected small businesses would receive $457 million if Congress approves the request.

Department of Health and Human Services programs, including those that provide free meals and medicines for affected seniors would be funded for $50 million.

The American Red Cross traditionally relies on the support of private donors, and is expected to continue to do so, but in this case, the President believes assistance to the work of the Red Cross is appropriate, and he has earmarked $70 million for the aid organization.

With this request, the total supplemental budget request for Hurricanes Charley and Frances will exceed $5 billion, bringing total federal grant and loan assistance to hurricane-affected areas to more than $7 billion.

To date, FEMA has received 193,000 registrations for assistance, and has disbursed over $108 million in assistance to families and individuals in response to Hurricane Charley.

FEMA has received 111,000 registrations for assistance, and has disbursed over $35 million in assistance to families and individuals in response to Hurricane Frances.

Six Disaster Medical Assistance teams are in the field, with two additional teams staged for assignment if needed. To date, more than 1,000 patients have been treated.

President Bush remains concerned that Hurricane Ivan may cause further damage to the southeastern United States, and he has alerted Congressional leaders that he may recommend, prior to final action on this current request, additional supplemental funding for emergency cleanup, protective measures, and individual assistance associated with Ivan.