Hurricane warnings in effect as US Gulf coast braces for Tropical Storm Francine

Storm expected to make landfall in Louisiana on Tuesday evening and bring heavy rainfall to Mississippi and Texas

Communities along the US's Gulf coast are bracing for possible impact as Tropical Storm Francine is expected to become a hurricane later in the day on Tuesday and make landfall in Louisiana the following morning.

The storm has been moving northward, the National Hurricane Center said, and is expected to be just offshore the coasts of north-eastern Mexico and southern Texas by Tuesday evening.