HOUSTON, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Hurricane warnings were issued Tuesday morning for parts of U.S. Gulf Coast areas as intensified Hurricane Laura continues to gain strength approaching the coastline.

Laura strengthened into a hurricane Tuesday morning as it entered the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. National Hurricane Center projected Laura is expected to intensify on a path to hit the U.S. coastline late Wednesday or early Thursday as a major Category 3 hurricane capable of "devastating" damage.

According to the forecast, Laura will hit the coastline in East Texas or West Louisiana with sustained wind speeds of over 160 km per hour.

Although it will weaken quickly after landfall, a swath of heavy rainfall will likely accompany the core of Laura as it moves north-northeast Thursday night and Friday.

As of Tuesday morning, hurricane warnings along with storm surge watches were issued for parts of the northwestern Gulf Coast in Texas and Louisiana.

According to local officials, Calcasieu, a parish located on the southwestern border of Louisiana, has issued a mandatory evacuation ahead Hurricane Laura.

"We're now recommending a mandatory evacuation for all of Calcasieu Parish," Dick Gremillion, head of Calcasieu Emergency Preparedness, said Tuesday at a briefing. "We're asking you to either evacuate the area or move to a safer structure."

The U.S. Postal Service also said that it is suspending retail and delivery services for some parts of southern Louisiana due to mandatory evacuation orders. Enditem

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