Hurricane Delta bears down on the Gulf Coast

Residents evacuating or battening down ahead of storm - NBC's Chris Pollone reports

LAFAYETTE, La. (KYMA, KECY/NBC News) - From Texas to Mississippi time is almost up. People preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Delta have only hours left before the storm stars lashing the region with high winds and soaking rains.

In weather-weary Louisiana, there are words no one wants to hear.

"Delta is going to be a strong hurricane."

The area is bracing for the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the state this season.

It was just six-weeks ago that another storm named Laura destroyed 10,000 homes and damaged thousands more. Repairs and cleanup is still nowhere near complete.

"It is clear that southwest Louisiana is going to get more of a punch from this because we're still trying to recover from Laura" said. Gov. John Bel Edwards, (D-La.).

Amidst everything else this year, people just want a break.

"It's just a lot, emotionally I think everybody is just battered and worn down right now."

Many are heading for higher ground, but slowly.

The Delta is 800-miles wide. The storm could dump 15-inches of rain in some areas. Storm surge and flash flooding are also major concerns.

"Landfall forecasted at almost the same location Laura made landfall." said Gov. Edwards.

The storm has people like Clayton Broussard thinking ow what they'll do when hurricane season ends, more than seven weeks from now.

"Uhhh I'll jump for joy… I'll jump for joy. hahahaha!" said Broussard.

"In an attempt to keep people safe and inside during the storm, several cities and parishes are instituting mandatory curfews…
Here in Lafayette people will have to be off the streets at noon on Friday… the curfew in effect until Saturday morning." said NBC's Chris Pollone.

Six weeks after Hurricane Laura hit, nearly 6,000 evacuees are still in New Orleans hotels. Their homes are too damaged to return to.