Nate takes aim at Cancun and Louisiana after killing 22 in Central America

Tropical Storm Nate, blamed for at least 22 deaths in Central America, now heads toward Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Forecasters said the storm could strike near New Orleans over the weekend as a Category 1 hurricane. In Nicaragua, Vice President Rosario Murillo said at least 15 people died from the storm as the entire country remains on alert due to possible flooding and landslides. Officials in Costa Rica reported that seven people died due to the storm while another 15 are missing. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph by Friday morning, could strengthen to near hurricane intensity before reaching the Cancun region at the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula later in the day. Forecasters expect the storm to gain more strength in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in southeast Louisiana early Sunday. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency, while state officials ordered the evacuation of some coastal areas. Several offshore oil rigs shut off production ahead of the storm. Parts of Mississippi and Alabama remain under tropical storm watches.