Tropical storm Alex has gained in strength and is set to become the first hurricane to affect the US Gulf coast since the oil spill.
Shop owners and tourists made preparations in case the hurricane made landfall.
"What we know is when they say get prepared you do it no messing around," said shop owner Liz Money.
In Grand Isle, Louisiana, crews worked to secure the levee system as concerns increased that Alex could push more oil from the massive leak in the Gulf of Mexico onshore.
"We are worried that the oil washes in with the tide, it gets into our neighbourhood back here," Christopher Hernandez of the Grand Isle Street Department said.
Controlled burns of oil on the ocean's surface, flights spraying dispersant chemicals and booming operations have all been stopped.
