Louisiana: Barry makes landfall as tropical storm

Baton Rouge: Tropical storm Barry made landfall near Intracoastal City in the US state of Louisiana, weakening to a storm again from a hurricane on Saturday afternoon according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Barry became a hurricane as it was making its final approach toward the Gulf Coast onto the southern US state of Louisiana on Saturday morning, according to the NHC.

Barry is expected to bring dangerous storm surge and heavy rains across the north-central Gulf Coast following its landfall, mainly due to its slow movement toward the inland region. Residents in the affected regions who had not been put under voluntary or mandatory evacuation were told to take shelter.

Local governments and residents have geared up for the hurricane. New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana, are among the cities at high risk of flooding. The Mississippi River is forecast to crest at 19 feet (about 5.8 meters) in New Orleans on Saturday.

In New Orleans, voluntary evacuations have been issued for areas which are not protected by levees.

Both Louisiana and Mississippi declared states of emergency in advance of Barry's arrival.