Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an update on Hurricane Laura as it continues Thursday on its way north through Louisiana.
Just before the Republican governor went to East Texas to investigate the damage himself, he said the areas of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange were “hit pretty hard”, but the eye of the hurricane lies 100 kilometers inland. Texas-Louisiana border,
TEXAS COAST BRACES FOR BETWEEN POWER OUTPUTS, STORM SURGES AS HURRICANE LAURA FATTEN BY LOUISIANA
“The good news, Brian, is this,” Abbott co-host Brian Kilmeade said, “Early reports show we have no loss of life, which was the primary goal.”
Later Thursday after Abbott’s remarks, Louisiana officials reported the first storm-related death of a 14-year-old.
The governor said search and rescue teams are now treating the area and searching to see if anyone needs help.
“Bottom line there will be some significant damage to houses and some buildings due to the wind and due to fallen trees,” he said.
HURRICANE LAURA DEBRIS NEARS WEATHER CHANNEL REPORTER ON LIVE TV
With the second hurricane hitting the Lone Star State during the coronavirus, Abbott said his state was more prepared, sending people to hotels instead of shelters, watching the pandemic.
“We learned during the first hurricane that if you have families gathered together in hotel rooms, it obviously limits the ability to send COVID-19 and that we have replicated,” he explained. “There were well over 5,000, maybe 10,000 people evacuating.”
Abbott believes the evacuations may have saved lives, but the storm is still hitting coastal areas.
“There are some regions of Texas that are still plagued by heavy winds, heavy rain and tornadoes,” Abbott said. “So many people in the northern regions of East Texas still need to be vigilant.”
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In response to anti-police protests in Austin, Abbott said his party has proposed legislation to “protect every city the police deserve.”
“We are a state of law and order,” he said, “and we will not tolerate the patience of police in Texas.”
