Much buzz building around the internets as Hurricane Gustav approaches the US Gulf Coast. Gustav has in fact bashed through the Caribbean already, killing 78 according to the Associated Press. It whipped up to Cat 3 and then Cat 4 as it made for Cuba's west coast. The National Hurricane Center feels it could well spin up to Cat 5, and make landfall on Louisiana on Monday very near the mouth of the Mississippi River, right around the time the Republican National Convention is kicking off up at the Big Muddy's northern end, in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
From Cuba, National Hurricane Center projections show it traveling right at New Orleans; New Orleanians are evacuating by the thousands.
Update, 9:30 pm ET: New Orleans Mayor Nagin has ordered a mandatory evacuation of the city.
Activity is building on the social networks to share information, and I suppose coordinate emergency response if it comes to that -- notably the Gustav Info Center on Ning, set up by Andy Carvin.
Image: National Hurricane Center, "Coast Watches and 5-Day Track Forecast Cone"
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