Residents braced as hurricane Isaac arrives

Isaac turned into a full-blown category 1 hurricane today as it rolled over the Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana, where residents in four states left boarded-up homes and New Orleans waited nervously behind flood-defence levees strengthened after the devastating Katrina struck exactly seven years ago.

The US National Hurricane Centre said the storm, with 75mph (120kph) winds, had gained strength as it moved over the warm, open waters of the gulf. It was expected to reach the swampy coast of south-east Louisiana by early tomorrow.