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NEW ORLEANS – Although Barry did not unleash catastrophic floods in Louisiana, many people from the Gulf Coast were urged to heed tornado warnings and sudden floods on Monday, as the storm moved north.
Barry was downgraded after a tropical storm Sunday afternoon but continued to pose a threat. Much of Louisiana and Mississippi were monitored by flash floods, as were parts of Arkansas, eastern Texas, western Tennessee and the southeast. from Missouri.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards urged residents to be cautious when they ventured out after a weekend in which many sheltered in the city. inside.
He said "extremely grateful" that the storm did not cause the catastrophic floods predicted before. More than 90 people were saved in 11 parishes, but no weather-related deaths were reported, Edwards said.
"It was a storm that obviously could have happened in a very different way," he said. "We are grateful that the worst case scenario has not happened."
Forecasters warned of a lingering threat of heavy rains until Monday as the center of the storm headed inland. The US National Hurricane Center said Sunday in parts of southwestern Louisiana, rainfall could reach 30 centimeters, with isolated pockets of 38 centimeters.
In Mississippi, forecasters reported that 20 inches (20 cm) of rain had fallen in parts of Jasper and Jones counties, with several other centimeters being possible.
Barry's center was moving from northern Louisiana to Arkansas.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said on Sunday that the city was "too lucky" for insufficient precipitation, which was well below the first forecast of a deluge that could overwhelm the systems. pumping out of the city.
"We have been spared," she said at a news conference, noting that the city was ready to help neighboring parishes be hit harder.
About 51,000 customers in Louisiana, 1,800 customers in Mississippi and 1,700 other Arkansas customers were without electricity Sunday night, according to poweroutage.us.
Edwards thanked the public for taking the officials' warnings seriously over the weekend, but also reminded residents that it was still relatively early in the hurricane season in the Atlantic.
"Based on what we experienced, I think (we will be)
even better prepared for next time – and we know that there will be one next, "Edwards said.
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Drew reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press editors Kevin McGill in New Orleans contributed to this report. Jay Reeves at Mandeville; Rogelio Solis in Morgan City; Jeff Martin in Atlanta; and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina.
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To learn more about Tropical Storm Barry, visit https://apnews.com/Hurricanes.
Rebecca Santana and Jonathan Drew, The Associated Press
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