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A newly formed hurricane is closing in on the U.S. Gulf Coast, threatening several southern South American states, including Florida, Mississippi and Alabama.
Hurricane Sally rose to the size of a Division Two storm on Monday and was due to landfall early Wednesday.
Officials say the hurricane will bring more than 1 foot (30 cm) of rain and 85 mph (135 km / h) of wind in some areas, with the possibility of severe storm surges.
This year’s hurricane season was particularly active.
This is only the second time in recorded history that five tropical storms have swept across the Atlantic Basin at the same time.
Louisiana Gov. John Bell Edwards, whose state is still recovering from Hurricane Laura last month, tweeted Monday urging residents to be “smart and stay safe.”
Alabama and Mississippi declared a state of emergency in anticipation of each hurricane, located 145 miles southeast of Biloxi in Mississippi at 21:00 GMT on Monday and headed for land at a rate of 6mph.
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Businesses in New Orleans rose to prepare for the hurricane
A landslide is expected near Biloxi near Silly on Wednesday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said.
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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm had receded and was not expected to hit Louisiana directly, yet the storm could cause severe storms that could trigger major flooding.
The NHC warned that “additional reinforcements are forecast for tonight and early Tuesday, and Sally is expected to be a dangerous hurricane as it approaches the coast,” the NHC warned.
In New Orleans, city dwellers have been instructed to evacuate the homes of those who live outside the security system.
As of Monday, about 80,000 homes in Louisiana were without electricity as a result of Hurricane Laura three weeks ago.
In addition to Sally, there are eight other tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean – four more tropical cyclones – Paulette, Renee, Teddy and Vicky.
If another storm is officially named – Wilfred has already been chosen – meteorologists will begin naming the new storm after the Greek alphabet.
