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Thousands Evacuate and Many Without Power as Tropical Storm Lee Enters Gulf Coast and New Orleans

Thousands Evacuate and Many Without Power as Tropical Storm Lee Enters Gulf Coast and New Orleans

Bands of heavy rain and strong wind gusts from Tropical Storm Lee knocked out power to thousands in south Louisiana and Mississippi on Saturday and prompted evacuations of around 6,000 people. NBC News video on the Gulf's preparation for the storm:

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The National Hurricane Center says the that the storm is expected to bring up to 20 inches of rain to southeast Louisiana over the next few days, including the low-lying New Orleans. With the memory of devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005 not too far away, the Big Easy and other Gulf Coast cities are taking every preparation necessary for the incoming storm.

"Prepare for the worst, let's hope for the best," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said as he declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon. NBC reports that the governors of Louisiana and Mississippi also declared emergencies.

The sluggish storm stalled just before making landfall, and threatened to dump more than a foot of rain across the northern Gulf Coast and into the Southeast in coming days. No injuries were reported and there were only scattered reports of water entering low-lying homes and businesses as of Saturday afternoon.

The Entergy utility company reported more than 37,000 customer outages at one point Saturday morning but that was down to below 29,000 by midday as the utility restored electricity. Cleco Corp., another major utility, reported 3,400 outages.

Water was a foot deep under the house of 76-year-old Eva Alexie, whose home is raised about eight feet off the flat ground.

"I should be used to this," said Alexie, a storm veteran who lost a home to Hurricane Ike in 2008. "It happens pretty often. I just thank God it won't be getting in my house this time."

She clutched an umbrella and a pair of blue rubber gloves as she walked down Louisiana Highway 45, on her way to her husband's shrimp boat to clean a recent catch.

The center of the slow-moving storm was about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of Morgan City, La., Saturday afternoon, spinning intermittent bands of stormy weather, alternating with light rain and occasional sunshine. Its maximum sustained winds were 60 mph (97 kph).

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said 10 parishes have issued emergency declarations. CNN reports that Gov. Jindal urged residents to pay attention to the weather and flash flooding warnings.

In New Orleans, sporadic downpours caused some street flooding in low-lying areas early Saturday, but pumps were sucking up the water and sending it into Lake Pontchartrain. Lee's surge so far had not penetrated levees along the coast, said National Weather Service forecaster Robert Ricks in Slidell, La.

Tornado warnings were issued overnight in Louisiana and south Mississippi but Ricks said there were no confirmed touchdowns. So far, damage appeared confined to downed power lines and trees.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement said 237 oil and gas production platforms and 23 drilling rigs have been evacuated by Lee. The agency estimates that estimated about 60 percent of the current oil production in the Gulf and almost 55 percent of the natural gas production has been shut in.

Coastal Mississippi officials expected their worst from the storm around the time it made landfall later Saturday afternoon or evening.

"We've been getting some pretty good onshore rains," said Jackson County emergency director Donald Langham. "We should see the winds pick up later this evening. We've had no tropical force winds yet, but once the storm takes that hook to the right we will be getting into that wind and rain."

Harrison County officials said travel on U.S. Highway 90 had become hazardous because winds from Lee have pushed sand from beach onto the eastbound lanes and the rain has created a situation where drivers cannot see the roadway.

"This layer of sand has gotten up on the highway and you can't determine if you're on the road, up on the median or the curb," emergency director Rupert Lacy. "We're asking folks not to get on Highway 90 but if they do be extra careful."

Flooding in Hancock County left several roadways impassable, and the rain on parts of Interstate 10 at times has been so heavy that visibility was down to only a few feet.

Casinos along the coast remained open and reported brisk business despite the storm.

At the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, which was hosting an IBF welterweight title bout Saturday night, resort spokeswoman Mary Cracchiolo-Spain said business was going on as usual.

"We're open for business and we are safe and secure," she said. "We are watching the storm closely like everybody else." she said.

In Alabama, rough seas forced the Alabama State Port Authority to close the Port of Mobile. Pockets of heavy rain pounded the beaches Saturday, and strong winds whipped up the surf and bowed palm trees. But just a couple miles inland, wind and rain dropped significantly.

Wet and windy conditions hovered over Dauphin Island, a barrier island three miles south of the mouth of Mobile Bay in the Gulf of Mexico, but conditions weren't too threatening, Mayor Jeff Collier said. High surf caused some roads to flood with water, but all were still passable Saturday afternoon.

Precautions were taken to secure anything that could be swept away by wind or waves on the island's vulnerable west end public beach and Labor Day concerts and other festivities were canceled.

"The weekend is literally a wash," Collier said. "It's really a shame that it happened on a holiday weekend, but on the other hand it's good because we really do need the rain."

Beaches that would normally be packed with Labor Day tourists were nearly empty. Melinda Fondren, who moved to Gulf Shores from Birmingham about three months ago, visited the beach to experience her first tropical storm.

"I'm excited but a little afraid of the storm surge," she said, adding that her middle name is Lee. "I've been telling my family that I hit Gulf Shores twice."

At the Hangout, a beachside bar and restaurant, a healthy crowd gathered to watch the University of Alabama and Auburn University football season openers. Manager Matt Dagen said there should be more people on a holiday weekend.

"Obviously, it's not as good as we want because of the weather," he said, but added that rough weather sometimes gives his business a boost because people can't go to the beach.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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