Louisiana border early on Saturday, the National Weather Service said New Orleans could still face torrential rains and tides about 5 feet (1.5 metres) above normal. Heavy rain could lead to more flooding across the city as storm drains are still choked with debris from Katrina. Corps officials had sealed off two canals to prevent a repeat of the flooding in neighborhoods near Lake Pontchartrain. Those barriers held back the surging lake on Friday while one road along the shoreline was under water.
