On Thursday, Hurricane Laura swept through Louisiana killing four people who had been crushed by falling trees and igniting a chemical plant fire that threatened to carry a chlorine-infused smoke plume to the sky 15 hours after landfall. Laura caused less mayhem than predicted-but officials said the damage remained a dangerous storm, and it would take days to assess it. At least 867,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity Thursday afternoon in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.
The maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Laura of 150 miles per hour (241 km / h) on landfall easily bested Katrina Hurricane, which triggered deadly levee breaches in New Orleans in 2005 and arrived at 125 mph wind speeds. The NHC said the eye of Laura crossed into southern Arkansas late Thursday afternoon and headed northeast at 15 miles per hour (24 km / h). The storm could drop 7 inches (178 mm) of rain on portions of Arkansas, potentially causing flash flooding.
The hurrying winds of Laura flattened buildings across a large stretch of state and a 15-foot (4.6 m) high water wall smashed into tiny Cameron, Louisiana, where the hurricane landed around 1 a.m. As Laura tackled east just before landfall, Edwards said, a calamitous 20-foot storm surge that had been expected to pass 40 miles (64 km) inland was prevented. That meant that the Calcasieu Ship Channel was not completely backed up by a mighty gush of water, which would have given the storm surge an easy route far into the land. Tropical-force winds were felt across Louisiana in virtually every parish-and Edwards cautioned that the deaths could rise as search and rescue missions increased.
A 14-year-old girl died when a tree dropped on her house in Leesville, Louisiana, a spokeswoman for Edwards said. At least three more people kill by trees falling on buildings elsewhere, the governor state. On Thursday morning in Westlake, Louisiana, 4 miles west of Lake Charles, a chemical plant caught fire in Laura’s wake. Also, sending dense black smoke into the sky over the wind-torn landscape near Interstate 10. Edwards advised people in the area to take cover, close doors and windows. Also, turn off air conditioners as investigated by authorities. Traffic jam on Highway 90 and Interstate.
Lake Charles residents heard Laura’s winds and the sound of crashing glass. Thus, as the storm passed through the town of 78,000 with 85 mph winds. Also, gusts up to 128 mph in the hour after landfall. Thursday afternoon, National Guard troops removed debris from roads at Lake Charles. The streets across the city had down power poles. Also, the winds flipped a few semi-trucks onto their sides.
Capital One Tower’s 22-story windows blow out. Also, street signs overturn, and bits of wooden fencing. Also, rubble from fall buildings spread in the flood streets, video footage sees on Twitter and Snapchat. Since evacuating to Minden, Louisiana, Lake Charles resident Borden Wilson. He is a 33-year-old paediatrician, anxious for his return home.
In Starks, a small town about 25 miles northwest of Lake Charles. Also, pine trees strewn across roads and homes have been the greatest cleaning challenge. The damage done to buildings around his First Pentecostal Church carefully inspect by Rev. Karl Smith He waited out the storm in his house’s cellar. Also, had to hack down trees so he and his wife could get out.
With maximum sustained winds of 75 mph on Thursday morning. Laura quickly weakened to a Category 1 hurricane and has since become a tropical storm. The NHC warned that high water levels would continue for many hours. Also, along the Gulf Coast as Laura travelled north and then northeast. In addition to life-threatening. The storm-battered the heart of the U.S. oil industry and forced oil rigs and refineries to shut down production. The Charles Lake Port remained closed because employees were unable to enter. Or leave the facility due to power lines and trees that had been toppled.
