Forecasters say Ivan to flood Florida, New Orleans

Forecasters said Ivan could hit land anywhere from the western Florida Panhandle to the southeastern Louisiana coast as a major &to=http://english.pravda.ru/main/18/87/346/10123_fleet.html' target=_blank>hurricane early Thursday.

In New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin said there was a 22 percent chance his city would take a direct hit from Ivan. Since most of the city lies below sea level, surrounded by levees along the Mississippi River, the result would be a catastrophe, he said.