Storm Nate has brought strong winds, torrential rain and some flooding to the US Gulf Coast.<\/p>\n
It made landfall as a category one hurricane near the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, late on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 85mph (137km\/h).<\/p>\n
After making landfall a second time in Biloxi, Mississippi, it was downgraded to a tropical storm.<\/p>\n
But weather officials warn the threat of dangerous storm surges remain.<\/p>\n
Nate killed at least 25 people in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras.<\/p>\n
The tropical storm then strengthened to a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale as it headed swiftly towards the US.<\/p>\n
Although not as strong as last month\u2019s Maria and Irma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Florida had issued warnings and evacuation orders ahead of its arrival.<\/p>\n
\u2018Serious threat\u2019 remains<\/h2>\n
Film footage from Biloxi showed flooded streets and highways.<\/p>\n
Chett Harrison, the manager of the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, said he had kept a restaurant and bar open for his 300 guests and \u201cthey have been OK so far\u201d.<\/p>\n
But he told local TV he hoped none of his guests tried to leave \u201cbecause everything is flooded around us\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mayor of nearby Gulfport, Billy Hewes, told the BBC the storm surge did not appear to be as high as feared and he thought the damage there would \u201cbe minimal\u201d.<\/p>\n
But the head of emergency management in Mississippi warned of worsening conditions as Nate moved further inland.<\/p>\n
In southern Alabama, the local power company said some 5,000 people were without power. Residents there had been urged to take precautions ahead of Nate\u2019s arrival.<\/p>\n
A mandatory curfew was lifted in New Orleans as the threat to the city \u2013 devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 \u2013 was downgraded.<\/p>\n
However, New Orleans residents were urged to stay in shelters by the mayor who said \u201cthere is still a serious threat for areas outside of levee protection\u201d.<\/p>\n
Nate was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center at 09:00 GMT.<\/p>\n
But its advisory warned of a life-threatening storm surge flooding and said alerts remained in effect from Pointe a la Hache to the Okaloosa\/Walton county line in Florida.<\/p>\n
Five ports along the Gulf Coast were also closed to shipping as a precaution ahead of Nate\u2019s arrival. Most oil and gas platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico also evacuated their staff.<\/p>\n
Evacuation orders were put in place for some low-lying areas.<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump on Saturday issued an emergency declaration for Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing the state to seek federal help with preparation and possible relief efforts.<\/p>\n
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Source: BBC<\/p>\n
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