US President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana, after the warning that tropical storm Isaac can hit the US as a category two hurricane.

Isaac already killed at least 24 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, brought significant flooding and damage in the Caribbean and is now heading for New Orleans. It could reach the US mainland as early as Tuesday night, nearly seven years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has revised its category one forecast and issued a warning Isaac could reach category two strength, with top winds of 100mp/h (160km/h) that could bring significant damage to areas within hundreds of miles of its eye.

In the aftermath of the forecast, Obama moved to approve Louisiana's request for a federal disaster declaration, making available federal funds for recovery activities.

The governors of Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama have declared emergencies in their states.

The Republican Party delayed by a day the start of its national convention in Tampa, Florida.

Evacuations have already been ordered for some low-lying Louisiana parishes and parts of coastal Alabama.

A hurricane warning is already in effect for some 300 miles of the Gulf Coast in four states from Louisiana to Florida, with lower-level warnings issued for many areas along Florida's west coast.

Florida Governor Rick Scott informed Monday that 60 000 people were already without power as a result of the storm.

August 29th is the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which strengthened in the Gulf to a category five storm, before weakening to category three by the time it reached New Orleans.

Federal officials assuage that the levees around New Orleans are now equipped to handle storms stronger than Isaac. Levy failures led to the disastrous flooding in the area after Katrina.

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