Louisiana ports remain closed despite Tropical Storm Francine downgrade

Francine, which made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane yesterday evening, has now weakened to a tropical storm, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

MAP: Projected wind speed of Tropical Storm Francine in Louisiana. National Hurricane Center

Despite its downgrade, the storm continues to pose serious threats, particularly with flash flooding in the New Orleans area.

The New Orleans area saw between 6 to 8 inches of rainfall, prompting a brief flash flood emergency last night. While rainfall has subsided, flash flooding remains a significant concern, with the potential for severe damage lingering today.

As a result, key ports across Louisiana remain shut. New Orleans, Pascagoula, Plaquemines, Cameron, Lake Charles, Mobile and Houma ports are closed to all vessel traffic. Additionally, Port Fourchon, a hub for offshore oil suppliers, and the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) have suspended operations.

Meanwhile, in Texas, several ports, including Brownsville and Orange, have begun post-storm damage assessments ahead of reopening.

Restrictions at major ports like Houston, Freeport, Beaumont, and Sabine have been lifted as the storm moved further east, allowing the US Coast Guard to declare conditions safe for operations to resume.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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