Hurricane Laura, which is expected to hit the US south coast on Wednesday has been upgraded to a dangerous Category 3 storm, news agency AFP reported. Forecasters have also warned that the hurricane could strengthen to Category 4 before slamming the coast.

The hurricane could bring “potentially catastrophic storm surges, extreme winds and flash flooding,” to the Gulf Coast, the National Hurricane Center said, instructing locals to rush to complete preparations to protect themselves.

“Laura is a dangerous Category 3 hurricane… and is forecast to continue strengthening into a Category 4 hurricane later today,” it said.

The hurricane currently has maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour. It could trigger a storm surge raising water levels by several feet and affecting areas as much as 50kms inland.

Residents of Texas and Louisiana have been warned of floods and high winds. “We need to be prepared,” Texas governor Greg Abbott was quoted as saying by AFP.

Compared to Category 3 Hurricane Harvey, which caused catastrophic flooding and killed 68 people in 2017, “this is going to be more of a wind event,” the governor said.

Laura also threatens the major oil refining centers of Lake Charles, Louisiana and Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas, located near the coast.

Evacuations have been underway in areas most at risk.

Several emergency shelters opened in Texas, with health precautions in place to fight the spread of the virus outbreak.

“COVID-19 is going to be in Texas throughout the course of the hurricane,” Abbott said, calling on families who can afford it to take refuge in hotels or motels so they “can be isolated from others.”