Bob McCarty Writes

Moments ago, officials in New Orleans issued a mandatory evacuation order in advance of the expected arrival of Hurricane Gustav, a Category 4 storm at the moment, as early as Monday morning.

The information below appears on the City of New Orleans web site under the headline below:

• Mayor C. Ray Nagin has announced a mandatory evacuation for the City of New Orleans beginning Sunday. Mayor Nagin called for a mandatory evacuation on the West Bank of New Orleans beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday. The mandatory evacuation is set to begin at noon on the East Bank.

• The Mayor said Hurricane Gustav is likely to be larger and stronger than Hurricane Katrina.

• The City Assisted Evacuation Plan will continue until midnight on Saturday and from 6 a.m. until noon on Sunday to provide transportation for citizens who cannot evacuate on their own.

• Those who need transportation should go to one of 17 designated pick-up sites. Residents who have special medical needs should call 311 for assistance.

• Mayor Nagin urged tourists to leave the city immediately.

• According to Mary Beth Romig of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors’ Bureau said local hotels will heed the evacuation order and close for business. She further urged citizens to depart from the city.

• Travelers who have airline reservations may board a shuttle at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown New Orleans. Travelers must have proof of a reservation in order to board.

• The City is paring down its staff to a skeleton crew. Mayor Nagin said he will trim the staff from approximately 200 people to 50 people.

• The New Orleans Police Department may also have some officers evacuate from the city. Most other city agencies are evacuating their entire staffs.

• Mayor Nagin urged that the West Bank may be most severely impacted by the hurricane and storm surge. He reiterated that the area’s storm protection system is not adequate to protect the New Orleans area in the face of the anticipated storm.

Developing…