- [George] Thousands of Louisianans

are breaking out sandbagsor fleeing to higher ground

as Tropical Storm Barry threatens to turn

into the first hurricane of the season.

- This is gonna be a major weather event

for a huge portion ofthe state of Louisiana.

- Clarence Brocks has livedhere in Plaquemines Parish

for 65 years, he has livedthrough Hurricane Katrina

and like so many residentsisn't taking any chances.

- If we lost everything and ifwe started from full scratch.

But if we didn't lose everything

'cause we still had ourlives and our health.

- [George] The forecastshows Barry making landfall

as a tropical storm, and because

it's a very slow-movingsystem which could stay

in the area longer than usual authorities

are warning residents tobrace for serious rainfall

and widespread flooding,posing a huge potential test

of New Orleans's flood defenses.

- Already the ground's very saturated.

The Mississippi running very, very high

into portions of Louisiana andit's not gonna take that much

to produce problems, but we are talking

about very heavy rainfall,the potential for a foot

or two of rain along intothe east of the track.

And notice it's onlyslowly making its move

off toward the north.

- [George] Hurricane warnings are up

for most of the Louisianacoast as the weather system

has already brought dangerousstorm surge, heavy rains,

and gusty winds to city.

- Well, I'm more concerned'cause if it turns to the East

and we're on the wrong sideof it you have a lot of rain

and you have a lot of flooding going on.

- [George] So the state's governor

is telling folks to get ready and not wait

until the last moment.

- I am encouraging, I'mimploring residents to prepare.

- [George] Parts of the region

could get up to 25 inches of rainfall.

Making matters more precarious,the Mississippi River

is already at extremely high levels,

above 16 feet in some places.

In New Orleans where 50levies failed back in 2005

during Hurricane Katrina

the city's mayor is warning residents

that water is going tobe their biggest threat.

- We do expect that thisstorm will be slow moving.

We're going to get heavyrainfall for up to 48 hours.

- In low-lying areaslike Plaquemines Parish

some 10,000 people havebeen ordered to evacuate

ahead of the storm.

Tropical Storm Barry isexpected to make landfall

sometime between late Fridaynight into Saturday afternoon.

George Thomas, CBN News.