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The United States' major airlines have put a number of extraordinary measures in place to help with the evacuation of parts of the country's southern coast in anticipation of Hurricane Gustav.

Continental Airlines deployed larger aircraft and put on additional flights in the Gulf Coast region, providing space for more than 1,200 customers through 31 August.

The carrier warned that the next week will see cancellations at airports in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas owing to the severe weather.

Delta Airlines also arranged additional flights to help with the evacuation and informed passengers whose plans have been affected by the storm that they can change bookings without penalty until 8 September.

Having already caused damage in the Caribbean, Hurricane Gustav is now moving over the Gulf of Mexico and could hit land in the state of Louisiana by midday local time today (1 September).

As the hurricane gathers strength over water, it is feared that it could become a category four storm by the time it reaches land. Forecasters said Gustav has the potential to be more damaging than Hurricane Katrina, which brought devastation to New Orleans three years ago.

With some 1.9 million people having fled Louisiana, the evacuation is thought to be one of the largest in the state's history.

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