Officials Encourage Residents to Prepare for Rain and Hurricane Season
The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is monitoring Tropical Storm Cristobal, which is forecast to drift northward into the Gulf of Mexico this weekend.
Heavy rainfall will be possible in New Orleans late this week and into next week, with the heaviest rainfall over the weekend. And while experts and officials say it is too early to say what kind of impact Tropical Storm Cristobal could have on the local area, residents are encouraged to make hurricane preparations.
Cristobal made landfall with winds up to 60 mph in the state of Campeche, Mexico earlier today (Wednesday, June 3). As of 7 p.m. today, the storm was stationary over southern Mexico and packing winds of 45 mph
June 1 marked the beginning of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Residents encouraged to prepare for rain
The city of New Orleans encourages residents to prepare for the potential of heavy rain later this week. Clear leaves and debris from gutters, downspouts, and in front of catch basins to help rain get to the drain.
To reduce the risk of street flooding, do not park in front of or on a catch basin, and do not dispose of anything in a catch basin. Call 311 to report catch basins that are not fully functioning. Residents should avoid lifting a catch basin lid or inserting anything into a catch basin.
While residents and businesses should place their garbage and recycling bins curbside on their scheduled collection, if heavy rains occur at any time, residents should remove all bins from the curb and secure them on their private property to avoid debris clogging storm drains and the loss of the containers during street flooding.
Residents encouraged to review hurricane plans and to account for COVID-19
As always during hurricane season, residents are reminded to review emergency plans, gather emergency supplies, and stay informed. Hurricane preparedness information, including how to account for the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, is available at ready.nola.gov/hurricane. Updates from the City will be provided at ready.nola.gov and on social media @nolaready. Residents can also receive emergency alerts directly from the City by text, email, or phone call. To register for alerts, text your zip code to 888777 or go to ready.nola.gov/alerts.
Residents who might need extra help during an emergency due to medical or mobility needs should sign up for the City’s Special Needs Registry. To register, call 3-1-1 or go to specialneeds.nola.gov.
