BILOXI, Miss. – As residents of Biloxi prepare for Hurricane Isaac, everyone in the city is keenly aware that Wednesday marks seven years since Hurricane Katrina changed their town forever.
"The house immediately to the west of us was wiped out completely," said resident Walter Blessey.
Blessey's home was one of the only ones still standing after Katrina.
"The tornado came through and took away the southeast corner of the house, destroyed the house to the east of us, destroyed the house to the west of us," Blessey said.
He has pictures of the damage. He spent three and a half years rebuilding and turned his home into a bed and breakfast. As of Tuesday evening, though, his home was closed for business.
"We could get some pretty strong winds," Blessey said in anticipation of Hurricane Isaac. "That's why I boarded up the whole house."
On Tuesday, many Biloxi residents continued stocking up on last-minute supplies.
Lisa Lemaire said she and her family have experienced a hurricane before and weren't planning on leaving.
"We went through Katrina and lost everything," Lemaire said. "Our house is elevated to standards right now, so I'm actually worried about the wind, although they're saying the surge is what's important right now."
By Tuesday afternoon, most businesses in the area were closed. The Mississippi Gaming Commission shut down the casinos until Thursday.
Dan Tumbarello, who works at the Hard Rock Casino, used a video camera to record the rising water on the beach.
"This is the first one of this size that I've experienced," he said. "I mean, I wasn't here for Katrina, but I was here for Gustav. It's getting pretty scary."
The state of Mississippi ordered the beachfront casinos in Biloxi closed at 10 a.m. Tuesday and by afternoon, police were ordering people off the beaches and to clear away from Highway 90.
Police were enforcing a curfew Tuesday evening for drivers because of high winds and flooded roadways. A mandatory evacuation was issued in Harrison County for people in low-lying areas.