Lousiana Residents Evacuate Ahead of Hurricane Gustav

Officials in the southern U.S. state of Louisiana are ordering residents to evacuate ahead of the approaching Hurricane Gustav. The National Hurricane Center says the storm is headed in the direction of New Orleans, the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina three years ago. Landfall is expected sometime Monday.

The hurricane center says Gustav's winds are currently swirling at about 200 kilometers an hour, making it a dangerous category three storm.

The storm is expected to strengthen over the Gulf of Mexico and could have winds nearing 250 kilometers per hour when it hits the U.S. mainland. Forecasters predict coastal storm surges at least five meters above normal.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin called Gustav "the storm of the century" as he announced mandatory evacuations that go into effect Sunday. He told residents to get out of town as soon as possible.

The White House says the storm makes it "unlikely" President Bush will go ahead with his plans to travel to the Republican National Convention in Minnesota on Monday.

President Bush has declared federal emergency status for the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Gustav earlier crossed over Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, taking at least 80 lives. In Cuba, state media say some 250,000 people were evacuated from Gustav's path as it crossed the island Saturday -- but no deaths were reported.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, are traveling to Mississippi Sunday to check on people getting ready for the hurricane.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama spoke by phone Saturday with officials in Louisiana.

Aaron Broussard, the head of Jefferson Parish including parts of New Orleans, today pleaded with residents to "have the courage to leave" despite fears of losing homes and property -- in some cases, homes repaired or rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina.

Katrina killed more than 1,400 people in the Gulf Coast area in 2005. Levees broke in New Orleans and 80 percent of the city was flooded.