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STORY: Hurricane Isaac lashed southern Louisiana with high winds and heavy rains on Wednesday causing widespread damage in New Orleans.
With winds over 80 mph (130kph), the hurricane knocked out power lines and overturned and street lights. Downed trees littered the streets and damaged buildings.
Isaac is the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States this season. While not nearly as strong as Katrina -- which was a Category 3 storm when it slammed the Crescent City on Aug. 29, 2005 -- Category 1 Isaac was still a powerful reminder of New Orleans' vulnerability.
Rainfall accumulations, potentially totaling as much as 20 inches (51 cm) in some areas, were expected to trigger widespread flooding.
The hurricane will be the first test for multibillion-dollar flood defenses built after levees failed under Katrina's storm surge, leaving large parts of low-lying New Orleans swamped.
Isaac will also test the resolve of officials and the preparedness of a city and region where some 1,800 died in the 2005 hurricane, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history.
