y Monday afternoon, Category-2 Hurricane Gustav had made landfall in Cocodrie, La., about 80 miles southwest of New Orleans. The hurricane has brought some flooding to low-lying areas of coastal Alabama, but the state's beach resorts, bayous and port city appear to have dodged serious damage. Power was knocked out in several areas, including New Orleans, and water began splashing over the top of several of the city's levees.

Some roads were closed in Baldwin and Mobile counties, but Gustav didn't damage southwestern Alabama the way Katrina did three years ago. Nearly 2 million people fled the coast, many of them under a mandatory evacuation order issued by the mayor of New Orleans. In New Orleans about 10,000 residents are thought to have ignored the call to flee the city and remained along with 1,500 national guardsmen protecting property.

Early yesterday power was going out all over the city, slowly strangling communication with the outside world. Those who stayed behind were left to rely on candles, torches and whatever food they had stocked up. In the absence of official shelters in the city, residents said they were helping each other. Most buildings were padlocked and boarded up.

A few hotels remained open for police, private security and media, but were shrouded in gloom due to lack of electricity. Hotels that stayed open through this storm will be prepared to receive guests after the storm subsides. Marriott, which has 15 properties in New Orleans, have two that remained open: the Marriott New Orleans and the JW Marriott, both on Canal Street. The 13 other properties, if they don't sustain heavy damage, could get up and running much faster than they did after Hurricane Katrina.

Gustav couldn't have come ashore at a worse time

Forecasters say winds and rain from Gustav's outer bands are expected to move northward into parts of Alabama where motels and shelters are filled with evacuees from Louisiana and elsewhere. Alabama Governor Bob Riley says President Bush has approved his request for disaster assistance in response to Gustav. That clears the way for federal recovery aid when the storm passes.
: right as the city's tourism industry was close to full recovery. In 2007, 7.1 million visitors came to town and spent $4.8 billion, a 92% increase over the number of visitors in 2006 and not far from the pre-Katrina norm of 8.5 million annual visitors. New Orleans hosted the Sugar Bowl, BCS National Championship, NBA All-Star Game, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, Essence Fest, Satchmo Fest and hundreds of conventions. The 25th annual French Quarter Festival in April 2008 had its highest attendance ever of 435,000. - NEX: NewsExtensions.com