NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Hurricane Isaac has made landfall in southeast Louisiana.
The massive storm had maximum sustained winds of about 80 mph near its center. Isaac lashed bayous and beaches with winds and rain well in advance of landfall because of its massive size. It spans nearly 200 miles.
New Orleans residents have been calmly waiting out the storm. Mayor Mitch Landrieu said earlier that he didn't expect "a Katrina-like event."
Officials in Louisiana and other affected states did not order mass evacuations as they did before Hurricane Katrina devastated the region. But evacuations were ordered in Mississippi's coastal counties. Twelve shorefront casinos were closed as a precaution.
Experts have cautioned that Isaac has the potential to cause substantial inland flooding. The storm arrived on the eve of the 7-year anniversary of Katrina's arrival.
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