TENNESSEE

Tropical Storm Lee has strengthened and continues pounding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region with heavy rain and flooding threat. The storm has spawned multiple tornadoes and flash flooding in the New Orleans area Saturday, and residents in the town of Jean Lafitte, La. living south of Goose Bayou Bridge have been issued an evacuation order because of possible flooding from storm surge, tides and rain.

Hurricane Katia is maintaining strength and direction on Friday, and while a direct strike on the U.S. is not highly likely at this time, the storm could still take a path similar to what Hurricane Earl did last year, with impact along the East Coast without making landfall late next week. Also, a U.S. strike remains a possibility since storm forecast models so far in advance high a high margin of error. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lee is drenching the U.S. Gulf Coast, with the worst yet to come. ...

Tropical Storm Lee will pound the Gulf Coast today and into the weekend, putting levees in New Orleans that breached during Katrina at risk before eventually spreading heaving rains and flooding risks from the coastal region up through the Appalachians. One forecaster said Lee could become a billion dollar coastal disaster for the U.S. coastal region.

There are growing concerns about how the interim Transitional National Council (TNC) will guide the war-ravaged country going forward.