The Daily Beast
Daybreak reveals ‘catastrophic’ damage caused by Hurricane Laura as ‘unsurpassable’ storm surges
LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – Dawn across the Gulf Coast discovered initial damage from Hurricane Laura, which hammered the region hours after it was attacked in the small parish seat Cameron as a Category 4 storm overnight, with winds of 150 mph. Although heat meters weakened the Category 2 strength shortly after 5 a.m., officials feared a “non-survivable” storm surge that was predicted to push a wall of water an unimaginable 40 miles into the country. John Bel Edwards announced the first known deadly connection to the storm shortly after 8 a.m. local time: a 14-year-old girl was killed after a tree fell on her home. Images from the town of Lake Charles showed huge skyscrapers with windy windows. out as winds exceeding 100 mph whipped up the city favorite as a travel destination. The National Water Service issued several warnings for tornadoes in the area, but no one has confirmed that they have been affected. In Delcambre, near the coast south of Lafayette, Jacob Lombas said Thursday morning that his own house was just inches away from flooding and his neighbors’ had already done so. “It was a crazy night. I barely got any sleep. The wind was the worst I have ever seen, “he told The Daily Beast, adding,” We had to go next to my father’s door. His house was raised. ”> Breaking news major damage in Downtown Lake Charles has won many skyscrapers wind. > Some of the building may be total losses. > A lot of roof of massive flying debris. @NWSLakeCharles lawx HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/s9EgeDtz43 >> – Jeff Piotrowski (@Jeff_Piotrowski) August 27, 2020NOLA.com reports that the highest wind speeds were recorded at Lake Charles Airport, 132 mph, and at the Emergency Operations Center in ‘ downtown Charles Charles, according to Joshua Schroeder, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Brownsville, Texas. The outlet reported that the Brownsville office made a backup of its opponent from Lake Charles, who was forced to evacuate. Schroeder told NOLA.com that the NWS had lost contact overnight with radars at Lake Charles and Fort Polk, likely due to “equipment problems” in the raging. storm. Stormtroopers on social media have posted videos of heavy rain and whirling winds, which meteorologist Reed Timmer reports that ‘buildings were’ around Lake Charles when Laura’s eye wall went through.> BREAKING! Buildings Wounded in Lake Charles LA in HurricaneLaura Powerful Eye Wall @RadarOmega_WX @ChasinSpin pic.twitter.com/wP3fPyREIZ >> – Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 27, 2020 As of Thursday morning, more than 500,000 people lost power in Texas, Louisiana with much more outcome expected. “Invincible storm surge with large and destructive waves will cause catastrophic damage from Sea Rim State Park, Texas, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana, including Calcasieu and Sabine Lakes,” the National Hurricane Center said prior to the storm’s arrival. “This rise can drink up to 30 miles inland from the immediate coastline.” Later advice pushed that threat to within 40 miles inland.> Even at night, we have the tools to keep watch, and issue the life-saving warnings to keep you, your family, and friends safe. We’ll be watching Laura all night, thinking of those of you who have been through the storm. Https://t.co/VyWINDk3xP for the latest. pic.twitter.com/heSYqX0kyQ >> – National Weather Service (@NWS) August 27, 2020 Edward Rappaport, Deputy Director of the National Hurricane Center, told The Daily Beast exactly what the term “not to survive” means. “At least the storm surge will reach from 15 to 20 meters, with rides on top of it,” he said. “I can not imagine what that means for every human being who is in the line of that water. Every human being or structure. ”Footage from the Aircraft Operations Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has shown hurricane fighter pilots in heavy turbulence squaring in the eye of the hurricane.the eye of category 4 hurricane Laura on @NOAA WP -3D Orion NOAA42 Kermit. Credit: Lt. Cmdr. Doremus, NOAA Corps. Our thoughts are with everyone on the path of this storm. FlyNOAA pic.twitter.com/m7Bc3Gttnn >> – NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) August 27th 2020 Officials in Texas and Louisiana order more than 500,000 people to evacuate, including those in areas severely damaged during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. At least 6 million people in Louisiana and Arkansas were also under a flash flood. had the potential eel to produce very separate tornadoes in the outer reaches over Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the National Weather Service. Arkansas also declared a state of emergency in preparation for the storm, and reserved $ 250,000 for relief. When many left, an ominous signal of the force of the storm appeared on the Mississippi River, which was forced to flow backwards when Laura arrived, an anomaly seen only during the strongest hurricanes that the Delta have raked. The Hurricane Center of Texas on Wednesday issued evacuation warnings to more than 385,000 residents from various areas, including Beaumont, Galveston, and Port Arthur. Ten other Texas cities and counties issued voluntary evacuation orders, including parts of Houston, because officials insisted residents should stay alert and stay put. All told, about 60 Texas counties were under a disaster declaration. “If you decide to stay, you’re on your own,” Port Arthur, Texas, said Mayor Thurman Bartie at a news conference. ‘I will not harm my people. If you stay, it’s you and God. ”> Only a few hours left to protect life and property! Unsustainable storm surge with large and destructive waves will cause catastrophic damage from Sea Rim State Park, Texas, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana, including Calcasieu and Sabine Lakes lawx txwx HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/eYTEH89rGu >> – NWS Lake Charles (@ NWSLakeCharles) August 26, 2020 In Louisiana, about 200,000 people were ordered to leave the Parish of Calcasieu and parts of the Parish of Cameron – low-lying coastal regions that had already seen floods hours before the storm was set to land. Social media reports Wednesday showed rising waters along southeastern Louisiana and even parts of the Alabama coast. The City of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services said Wednesday that it is sending its ambulance bus to southwest Louisiana to help evacuation companies further.> Here is the current state of LA 1 under the Leon Theriot Lock in Golden Meadow. The highway remains closed and this area remains under a mandatory evacuation. Laura pic.twitter.com/p5OkD7t0wN >> – Lafourche Sheriff’s Office (@LafourcheSO) August 26, 2020 Among the evacuees was Fabienne Celestin, who was trapped in Lake Charles without enough money to get out of town, and never in west had an emergency evacuation situation, especially not when confronted by a monster like Laura. A Florida resident, she moved to Lake Charles in late 2010. So she missed the devastation of Katrina and Rita in 2005 and the double blow of Gustav and Ike in 2008. And she was desperate to get her children out of the town – Roodson, 16, Jayden, 10, and Moisha, 4 – before Laura landed. “I had no gas money, no transportation,” she told The Daily Beast Wednesday night. ‘I have one child with special needs. He cried. I have no help, but at the last minute a friend sent me some gas money so I could reach it at Lafayette. ‘The despair of being locked up made Celestin fret. To top things off, her friend asked her about the decision to evacuate, reminding her, “I was scared because I had never taken the highway before.” Even with her own emotions on edge, she had to keep things together – especially for Roodson. “It’s a scary situation,” Celestin said. “My son with special needs did not understand that he was asking a lot of questions.” Aid workers have been in Lake Charles for 48 hours, helping people in need like Celestin shelter from the path of the storm. When storms strike, the state’s Child and Family Services Department coordinates transportation for thousands of evacuees. Gov. Bel Edwards said Wednesday at a news conference that Hurricane Laura had the potential to bring storm surges that residents had not seen since 1957. He added that Louisiana had activated its entire National Guard, which it has not done in many years. ‘ “This is a very serious storm,” he said. “In the five years that I have been governor, I do not believe I have had a press conference where it was my intention to convey the sense of urgency that I am now trying to convey.” The storm coincided with the Republican National Convention, where the danger it posed received little attention. CBS reported that President Donald Trump was informed only once about Wednesday afternoon’s impending storm. He tweeted Wednesday, “Hurricane Laura is a very dangerous and hard-hitting hurricane. My administration remains fully engaged with state and local emergency managers to continue preparing and assisting the great people of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Listen to local officials. Listen to local officials! “On Thursday morning, Celestin woke up from a new day, but without a real direction when she evaluated her choices for Laura.” The kids want to go home, but I have no news of Lake Charles yet, “Yes, sir, with the grace of God.” Read more at The Daily Beast. Get a tip? Send it here to The Daily Beast Get our top stories every day in your inbox Sign up now! Daily Animal Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper into the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
