New Orleans’s Mayor C. Ray Nagin held a news conference around noon on Saturday and talked about the emergency plans related to Hurricane Gustav.  During the press conference, he called Gustav as a Category 4 storm which has been confirmed by various weather services.

Gustav said that the city assistance evacuation is working.  However, the Mayor did say there was a problem with one bus contractor but that the city is moving forward.  Nagin also discussed the a crashing of the 3-1-1 computer system and said there was no reason to register in advance.  Nagin, however, recommended those with medical needs should pre-register. 

Nagin said that approximately twenty thousand people have registered  for assistance help.

Nagin said he would likely step up the rhetoric to get the citizens out of the city.

Nagin urged that tourists evacuate New Orleans.  Nagin said that if the hurricane continues in its current path, the city will likely start mandatory evacuation but that call regarding the mandatory evacuation could take place at the next press conference.

Nagin also said that “this storm” will be a Category 5.  However, he then said he was not a meteorologist and said he predicts it will be a very strong storm.

Nagin said that Gustav is different from Katrina in the direction of the storm.  He said that Gustav could hit the South area rather than the eastern part of the city.