Tropical Depression Isaac Update
Hurricane Isaac weakens into a tropical depression, but widespread flooding is still likely across the Ohio valley.
Property remains partially submerged in Manchac, Louisiana floodwaters following the passage of Hurricane Isaac. [AFP]
Over three quarter of a million people remain without power in the US as Hurricane Isaac weakens, but continues to cause widespread flooding across the south. The storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression, but some parts could still see as much as 650mm of rain as the storm makes its way across the Central Plains.
Despite the fact that the storm is losing strength, authorities in Louisiana and Mississippi are now urging residents to seek shelter amid fears that a dam in the region could fail. The Percy Quin Dam near the Louisiana-Mississippi border is showing signs of damage and that could affect around 50,000 people if it were to break.
Isaac remains a slow moving feature and as such, further flooding is inevitable as the system makes its way north. In its aftermath, more than 760,000 remain in the dark across Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas.
Across Louisiana, around 4,000 people are still crammed into shelters. The new multi-million dollar flood defences around New Orleans have held firm. However, there has been flooding outside the city with dozens of people trapped on their rooftops and in attics along the coastal regions to the south.
According to the US Geological Survey, Isaac’s storm surge was powerful enough to make the Mississippi River flow backwards for nearly 24 hours.
The storm is now moving up towards the Great Lakes and as it does so it should bring some welcome drought-relief to parts of the Central Plains. Even as the storm moves out of Arkansas into Missouri, it is possible that some parts could see over 200mm of rain over the next two of three days.