Travelinfo.ca: LOUISIANA has declared a state of emergency as it prepares for a tropical depression to bring up to 38cm of rain over the weekend. Tropical Depression 13 – to be named Lee if upgraded, as expected, to a tropical storm – is creeping north through the Gulf of Mexico. Offshore platforms for Exxon Mobil, BP and Shell were all shut down on Thursday ahead of 13. The storm could cause flooding for parts of the Gulf but will also bring much-needed rain to Texas.
The new tropical depression was packing winds of 55km/h and centred about 362 kilometres south of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal declared the state of emergency on Thursday evening, saying coastal and inland areas could be hit by flash floods within 48 hours. Tropical storm warnings are also in effect from the Texas state line to the eastern Mississippi coast.