MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Flooding forced road closings Monday in low-lying areas of coastal Alabama but the state’s beach resorts, bayous and port city appeared to dodge serious damage as Hurricane Gustav tracked west toward Louisiana.

Tornado warnings were issued for both of Alabama’s counties bordering the Gulf of Mexico, and blustery winds and rain were likely to move up a state whose motels and shelters were filled with thousands of evacuees from Louisiana and other Gustav-threatened areas.

While some roads were closed in Baldwin and Mobile counties, the early sentiment was that Gustav would not rough up the area like Katrina did three years ago.

“It’s not anywhere near Katrina,” said Greg Weiskopf of Mobile as he videotaped the choppy surf on Mobile Bay’s western shore.

At Orange Beach, a Baldwin County resort where Louisiana evacuees fled in droves, whistling wind whipped palm trees and light poles, but there were no signs of major flooding.

Louisiana evacuee Lori Leblanc came to a hotel in Orange Beach with her husband and two children expecting placid weather. Instead, she was awakened by crashing thunder in the middle of the night and stung by wind-driven sand as she took photos of the angry surf.

“I’m amazed by this, but I’d rather be here,” said Leblanc, of Belle Rose, La. “It’s not worth it staying (at home in Louisiana) with the kids. The weather just scares them too much.”

Debbie Cologne of Chauvin, La., was worried about what will be left of her home, which is south of Houma near where Gustav was expected to make landfall.

“We’re not gonna have anything left,” said Cologne, staying with a group of relatives at a beach hotel.

Katrina left the fishing village of Bayou La Batre in wreckage and sent floodwaters past car windows in downtown Mobile. There were no signs of flooding Monday morning downtown in the port city, but the causeway along upper Mobile Bay was closed. At Bayou La Batre, the main highway through town was passable, but side streets and a waterfront road were under water.

Bayou La Batre Fire Chief John Wiggins said there had been no emergency calls, but he said there could be more extensive flooding as the storm surge arrives.

“The water rises fast here, not like in Mobile. It comes up quick,” he said. “Our ground is so saturated and the water is coming up too fast.”

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley also announced that President Bush has approved his request for disaster assistance in response to Hurricane Gustav. That clears the way for federal recovery aid when the storm passes.

On the western shore of Mobile Bay, off Dauphin Island Parkway, residents were hopeful damage would be minimal.

“I think we’re going to be all right. It’s not like Katrina,” said Laura Koschalk, who lives nearby.

Katrina caused heavy flooding of communities nearest the shoreline of the bay. Koschalk said the floodwaters came to the front and back doors of her home, but it survived.

Sammy Geno, the captain of a 100-foot supply boat, said about 50 vessels tied up in the industrial canal south of Mobile, waiting out Gustav, were weathering the storm without serious problems. He said he drove his pickup truck through a flooded highway to reach his boat Monday morning.

State emergency officials said nearly 8,800 evacuees were being housed in shelters in Alabama, about half from Louisiana. Thousands more filled motels and hotels up the state, but state tourism officials did not have an estimate Monday.

Gulf Coast tourism officials said earlier that at least 40,000 people were in motels and condominiums in Baldwin County, where many Labor Day holiday plans were canceled.