State of emergency declared in Texas as Hurricane Alex nears
Published:Wednesday | June 30, 2010 | 5:46 PM
US President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency in Texas as Hurricane Alex bears down on the coast with 80 mile per hour winds.
Forecasters say Alex is expected to make landfall near the Texas-Mexico border as a category two hurricane.
Heavy seas caused by the first Atlantic hurricane of the season have already disrupted BP's oil spill clean up in the Gulf of Mexico.
Boats skimming the slick have been sent back to port by the US Coast Guard.
High waves and strong winds generated by Alex have also pushed more oil from the spill on to beaches in Louisiana.
President Obama's emergency declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to co-ordinate disaster relief efforts.
The National Hurricane Center says Alex is strengthening and should make landfall later today.
The center has warned that torrential rain could cause flash floods and mudslides in northeastern Mexico and southern Texas.