Hurricane Isaac hits U.S. Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaac made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 1 storm Tuesday evening bringing high winds, rain, and storm surges.

Since Hurricane Katrina seven years ago, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has built levees, pumps, floodgates, and walls to protect New Orleans. This $14.5 billion flood defense system is getting its first real test.

Local media reports say more than 200,000 homes and businesses in southern Louisiana are without power.

“We’re in a hunker down phase now," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says. “In a storm like this, there are numerous things that could hurt you, from downed power lines to high water. The most important thing is for people to use common sense and be safe.”

Caribbean nations recovering 

Isaac wreaked havoc in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, killing at least nineteen people and forcing thousands to evacuate.

World Vision is delivering basic supplies to families in shelters in its service area.

How to help

Donate to World Vision’s U.S. Disaster Response Fund. Your gift will help us respond quickly and effectively to emergencies right here in the United States, like Hurricane Isaac.