Storm Lee strengthens as it inches toward Louisiana

Tropical Storm Lee strengthened yesterday as it inched toward Louisiana, threatening to dump heavy rains and trigger dangerous flash floods along the Gulf of Mexico coast of the United States.
Oil companies evacuated workers from offshore rigs ahead of the arrival of Lee while Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency, urging residents to "prepare for the worst and hope for the best."
The slow-moving storm could bring the same kind of flooding that residents in the northeast are still grappling with after Hurricane Irene tore up the east coast last weekend, officials warned.