Beaches closed and sandbags filled as Tropical Storm Bertha approaches the Gulf Coast

Communities across the U.S. Gulf Coast, spanning from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana, have closed beaches and distributed sandbags in preparation for Tropical Storm Bertha. The storm is forecast to bring flooding and strong winds to the region, with landfall expected on Wednesday night along the Louisiana coast, southeast of New Orleans. Local authorities are taking these preventative measures to mitigate the impact of the anticipated wind and flooding as the system approaches the shoreline.