Hurricane Francine made landfall in the US state of Louisiana late Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
The center said that heavy rain and hurricane-force winds were spreading across southern Louisiana, with wind speeds estimated at 155 km/h, making Francine a Category 2 storm.
The NHC urged residents to shelter indoors and stay away from windows.
Some places could see up to 30cm of rain, bringing the risk of significant flash flooding.
