Morning Jolt: Isaac overtops some levees
Source: news.blogs.cnn.com - Wednesday, August 29, 2012
More than 650,000 customers without electricity, utilities report – This Just In
Isaac Loses Strength, Downgraded To Tropical Storm
Source: newyork.cbslocal.com - Wednesday, August 29, 2012
NEW ORLEANS (CBSNewYork/AP) – Isaac is losing some of its strength and has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it trudges inland over Louisiana. After maintaining hurricane strength through the morning, Isaac weakened to a tropical storm Wednesday afternoon with 70 mph winds and was expected to continue losing strength. It came ashore at 7:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday with 80 mph winds near the mouth of the Mississippi River, driving a wall of water nearly 11 feet high inland and soaking a neck of land that stretches into the Gulf. Isaac began a slow, drenching slog inland from the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, pushing water over a rural Louisiana levee and stranding some people in homes and cars as the storm spun into a newly fortified New Orleans exactly seven years after Katrina. Although Isaac was much weaker than Katrina, which crippled the city in 2005, the threat of dangerous storm surges and flooding from heavy rain was expected to last all day and into the night as the immense comma-shaped storm crawled across Louisiana. EXTRA: Interactive Maps Army Corps spokeswoman Rachel Rodi said the city’s bigger, stronger levees were withstanding the assault. “The system is performing as intended, as we expected,” she said. “We don’t see any issues with the hurricane system at this point.” However, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said officials may cut a hole in a levee on the east bank of Plaquemines Parish to relieve pressure on the structu
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