President Bush says he feels good about the preparations for Hurricane Gustav.

He says the coordination among states and the federal government has been "a lot better than during Katrina."

But he cautions that "this storm has yet to pass." He says "it's a serious event."

Bush spoke at an emergency operations center in Austin, Texas, where he's getting briefed on the storm. He'll also visit a command center in San Antonio.

Bush says he wants to ensure that assets are in place to handle the storm, and preparations are being made to help the Gulf Coast recover.

The president praised residents who heeded warnings to evacuate. He says he knows it's hard for citizens to "pull up stakes."

The Category-2 hurricane slammed ashore this morning west of New Orleans, in the heart of Louisiana's fishing and oil industry.