2 dead as Hurricane Zeta makes landfall in New Orleans

Two people were killed as Hurricane Zeta made landfall as a Category 2 storm late Wednesday in southeast Louisiana.

Multiple news reports indicated that a man was found after apparently drowning in flooded areas near the Bioloxi, Miss., marina, while New Orleans emergency services reported that another person had been electrocuted in the city’s Gert Town neighborhood.

A National Hurricane Center (NHC) advisory warned of “damaging gusty winds” and high rainfall as Zeta moved quickly across the southeast U.S. and headed for the mid-Atlantic region.

“We’re tracking many downed power lines, trees & other debris in roadways. Downed lines can be energized and are VERY dangerous. Please continue to stay inside and let public safety officials respond to #Zeta hazards,” tweeted Mayor LaToya Cantrell (D) on Thursday.

Zeta is expected to pass through Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina,  Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland on Thursday before heading back out into the Atlantic Ocean.