Photo: CNN

HOUSTON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Category 2 Hurricane Delta made landfall Friday evening on U.S. Gulf Coast, slamming shore in the state of Louisiana with winds of 160 km per hour, the National Hurricane Center said.

Delta lost intensity as it made landfall, but not quickly enough to make a significant difference in its immediate effects, said forecasters with the National Hurricane Center. Storm surge caused by the storm is expected to reach as high as 3.4 meters along part of Louisiana's coastline.

Earlier on Friday, Delta brought rain of more than 23 cm on the state capital of Baton Rouge, Denham Springs and Zachary, causing widespread flooding.

In the Louisiana city of Lake Charles, flash flood warnings were issued before the landfall.

Delta is the 10th named storm to make landfall in the United States in a single hurricane season. In late August, Category 4 Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana, killing over 40 people in the United States.

During Friday afternoon's news conference, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said thousands of National Guard troops, utility workers and other emergency responders were prepared to respond to Delta's expected damage.

Edwards said that as of midday Friday, the state was housing 9,537 evacuees, most of whom are still being sheltered after Laura's devastating damage in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes.