New Orleans appears to have escaped from the worst of Hurricane Gustav as the eye of the storm missed the city.

The hurricane weakened to a tropical storm yet brought torrential rain to the Louisiana city.

Officials were still urging caution even though the levees in New Orleans appeared to be holding surging floodwaters, it was reported.

Residents who were advised to leave in their thousands in advance of Gustav hitting the shore have been advised to remain away from the city for another day.

Airlines are evaluating weather conditions before resuming flights from New Orleans.

But other storms are brewing, with Hurricane Hanna developing near the Bahamas and Tropical Storm Ike forming in the middle of the Atlantic.

by Phil Davies