Hurricane Isaac Hits US Coast, Louisiana

 Hurricane Isaac has made landfall, slamming into the southeastern coast of Louisiana.

The National Hurricane Center said the powerful storm came ashore¹ late Tuesday, bringing sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour.  Forecasters also warned of dangerous storm surges along the northern U.S. Gulf² Coast.

Earlier Tuesday, President Barack Obama urged residents to get out of the way, if they can.

"We are dealing³ with a big storm and there could be significant flooding and other damage across a large area. Now is not the time to tempt⁴ fate. Now is not the time to dismiss official warnings," said President Obama.

Earlier, forecasters reported flooding along low-lying areas along the coast.  They said some parts of Louisiana could see surges as high as three to four meters.

New Orleans Louisiana Mayor Mitch Landrieu has been preparing his city for a possible direct hit.

''We have dodged⁵ a bullet in the sense that this is not a category three storm but a category one; at this strength from 85 to 100 mph winds with 125 mph gusts⁶ is plenty big enough to put a big hurt on you if you fall into complacency," said Landrieu.

Forecasters say the slow-moving storm is bringing heavy rains and maximum sustained winds of about 130 kilometers an hour.  It could make landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The president has declared states of emergency for Louisiana and Mississippi. That declaration opens the door for federal funding, almost seven years to the day that Hurricane Katrina slammed into the region, causing massive damage.

VOA correspondent Brian Padden, in New Orleans, says many people already have left.   

"I had a chance to drive throughout the city. I have been driving throughout the lower ninth ward⁷. It is basically a ghost town [deserted] right now," said Padden. "Sheltered in their house or have been self-evacuated."

CategoryWind SpeedPotential Damage

1119-153 kilometers/hourVery dangerous winds will produce some damage

2154-177 kilometers/hourExtremely dangerous winds. Extensive  damage

3178-208 kilometers/ hourDevastating damage will occur

4209 -251 kilometers/ hourCatastrophic damage will occur

5252 kilometers/hour or higherCatastrophic damage

New Orleans officials are telling residents to be prepared to live without regular water or power supplies for several days.  But not everyone is ready to leave.

Jennifer Landix in the city's Lower 9th Ward is one of those staying put.

"We'll probably get some street flooding from the rain, but you know, heavy winds and stuff, the lights may go out, but we're prepared for all of that. I'm not really in the mood for leaving, let's just put it that way," said Landix.

Experts say the storm could test New Orleans' upgraded flood control and levee systems, which were put in place after Hurricane Katrina left 1,800 people dead in 2005.  Wednesday marks Katrina's seventh anniversary.

Isaac battered⁹ eastern Cuba Saturday, after killing¹⁰ at least 19 people in Haiti, which is still recovering from a devastating⁸ 2010 earthquake. Two people were killed in the Dominican Republic.  There were no reports of fatalities¹¹ in Cuba.

1 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 tempt   

vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣

参考例句：

• Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
• The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了，可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。

5 dodged   

v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避

参考例句：

• He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时，他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 gusts   

一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作

参考例句：

• Her profuse skirt bosomed out with the gusts. 她的宽大的裙子被风吹得鼓鼓的。
• Turbulence is defined as a series of irregular gusts. 紊流定义为一组无规则的突风。

7 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

8 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

9 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

10 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

11 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》