July 15 (UPI) -- Tropical Depression Barry is still creating life-threatening rains and floodwaters as it moves north toward Arkansas, forecasters said Monday.
More than 53,000 customers out of 2.3 million in Louisiana were without electricity as of 10 p.m. CDT Sunday, according to PowerOutage.US. At one time, more than 150,000 were without power.
With maximum sustained winds of 25 mph -- 15 mph below tropical storm designation -- Barry was moving north at 9 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its 4 a.m. advisory Monday.
The center of Barry moved across the western and northern portions of Louisiana on Sunday and over Arkansas on Sunday night. It was forecast to turn northeast Monday, the NHC said.
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All tropical storm warnings in Louisiana were discontinued Sunday afternoon but replaced with flash flood watches and warnings for portions as far as southeast Texas and through much of Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas as well as for parts of the Mississippi Valley.
The storm is weakening is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone by Monday night, the NHC said.
Barry is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 3 to 5 inches in Louisiana and isolated amounts of 15 inches.
"This rainfall is expected to lead to dangerous, life-threatening flooding," the NHC said.
On Monday, the risk of tornadoes is expected to expand northeastward from the Mid-South toward the Ohio Valley.
"This storm has our attention," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said on Facebook. "While most of the rain right now is in the Gulf, we know that it will be coming ashore and impacting a large portion of the state. We are asking that everyone stay vigilant and be safe."
The governor said he's spoken with President Donald Trump.
"He asked me to tell the people of Louisiana hello and said he is pulling for us," Edwards said. " I thanked President Trump for his support and for approving our request for assistance."
Nearly 3,000 National Guards troops had been deployed throughout Louisiana for potential storm response, CNN reported. Before the storm reached land, state, local and federal officials spent days preparing for the storm and possible impacts.
Following a brief stint as a Category 1 hurricane, Barry weakened once again to a tropical storm on Saturday after making landfall along the central Louisiana coast.
As Barry moved inland, multiple reports emerged of levees overtopping in Terrebonne and Plaquemines parishes, with mandatory evacuations being ordered by Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove for all areas along Louisiana Highway 315.
Edwards said levees in New Orleans were ready and should withstand the floodwaters. Louisiana declared a state of emergency in advance of Barry's arrival as residents and crews worked to brace the city. Voluntary evacuations were issued across New Orleans for areas not protected by levees.
Most airlines resumed normal operations at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, according to a Twitter post. Airlines began canceling flights Friday.
Barry became the first hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic season on Saturday, and the fourth to make landfall on the Louisiana coast in the month of July. It arrived over Marsh Island and departed near Intracoastal City, about 160 miles west of New Orleans.
Despite weakening, Barry will continue to slowly spread a widespread swath of flooding and torrential rain from Louisiana and western Mississippi to eastern Arkansas, forecasters said.
AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss caused by Barry will be $8 billion to $10 billion, based on an analysis of damages expected from flooding caused by heavy rainfall over several states and storm surge.
AccuWeather contributed to this report
