Olivia
Slowly Drifts
Day #3: Flooding in Mexico
U.S.
Leaders Watch Storm
OLIVIA DUMPING RAIN ON MEXICO
TOUGH DECISIONS FOR GULF COAST LEADERS
Monday 5:00 a.m., October 2, 1995
The Associated Press
GRAND ISLE, La. -
Tropical Storm Olivia is causing flooding in Mexico
and creating tough decisions Gulf
Coast leaders. The storm
is slowly drifting just northeast of the Mexican coastline and forecasters say it
could become a hurricane today.
Heavy rains are falling in Mexico's
coastal areas. Mexican officials are worried about the damage and injury that
flood waters are causing, but do not yet have full reports from the area.
Olivia has moved very little in the last 12
hours. It had been heading on a track that would take it into the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida.
Forecasters are saying Olivia could begin to
move more rapidly at any time. Mexican officials hope the storm gets going and
moves the rain away from their flooded coastal region.
Local leaders in the United States
are watching Olivia's track as well--in case the storm turns toward them. Civil
defense officials are struggling to decide how far to go in their preparations,
as the storm dallies in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
- Offshore
oil drilling rigs were not being evacuated Sunday, a U.S. Coast Guard
official said.
- In
New Orleans,
the Orleans Levee Board has closed the 31 flood gates which protect the
city, but has held off on public sandbagging efforts.
- Leaders
of other coastal cities were watching the storm closely.
- Coast of Florida is on alert.
At 5:00 a.m., the storm was near 23.5 north
latitude, 85.2 west longitude, or east of Merida, Mexico. The storm is moving slowly
to the east-northeast. Maximum sustained winds are 65 mph--just under hurricane
strength.
Move On to Day Four
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