Hurricane Laura’s tornado threat after attack in Louisiana, Lake Charles ‘badly damaged’

Heavy showers and winds hit Louisiana Thursday morning as a weakening Hurricane Laura roared north, threatening to spread further damage well inland after hitting the Lake Charles area.

The historic Hurricane Laura landed early Thursday in Cameron, about 45 miles south of Lake Charles, as a Category 4 dangerous hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph.

“When we wake up today, everyone needs to remember that the threat that Laura poses to Louisiana continues,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards tweeted Thursday morning. “Stay at home, follow the warnings and instructions of local officials and follow your local news to stay informed.”

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When the storm stormed Louisiana, a wind speed of 133 km / h and a sustained wind of 85 km / h were measured in Lake Charles. A 127 mph windmill was measured at Calcasieu Pass, La., And a sustained 93 mph wind was measured at 5 a.m. local time in Cameron at the back of the storm.

In Lake Charles, which received a direct hit, skyscrapers were without glass, while pieces of sheet metal and roofing were seen in city streets.

Stormtrooper Stephen Jones told “Fox & Friends First” that Hurricane Laura came to Lake Charles with “just as much fury” as across the Gulf of Mexico.

“This whole city is badly damaged,” he said.

Stormtrooper Jeff Piotrowski shared a photo of major damage to one skyscraper in the city.

“Some of the building could be total losses. A lot of roof of massive flying rubble,” he said tweeted.

There were also reports of some injuries in the downtown area.

“Flying glass from some of the skyscrapers fell on people not the extent of the injuries,” Piotrowski said.

Authorities had ordered coastal residents to leave, but not everyone did so in an area devastated by Rita in 2005.

“There are some people still in town and people are calling … but there is no way to get to them,” Tony Guillory, president of the Calcasieu Parish police jury, said Thursday morning early on the phone as the Associated Press as he rushed down into a Lake Charles government building that shook from the storm.

Guillory said he hoped stranded people could be rescued later Thursday, but feared roads would be blocked, power lines and flooding could get in the way.

Other videos from the area showed signs, trees shook violently and a large recreational vehicle was blown up.

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In Cameron Parish, where Laura landed, officials said at least 150 people refused to leave and planned to weather the storm in everything from high-rise buildings to recreational vehicles. The result could be fatal, as forecasters said the parish could be completely covered by ocean water with a “non-survivable” storm surge of up to 20 meters.

“It’s a very sad situation,” said Ashley Buller, assistant director of emergency preparedness. “We did everything we could to encourage them to leave.”

Officials said searches and assessments of damage begin if conditions allow.

“We know everyone who stayed so close to the coast, we should pray for them, because seeing the storm surge, there would be little chance of survival,” Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser told Good Morning America of ABC.

More than 470,000 electrical customers are without power in Texas and Louisiana, according to poweroutage tracking website poweroutage.us.

Dick Gremillion, the emergency director in the parish of Calcasieu, said hours later that they were not coming out and looking for damage.

“The wind is still more than 50 mph. It will have to drop significantly before they can even make emergency calls. We also need daylight,” Gremillion said in an interview with KPLC-TV.

Laura’s danger continues as the storm moves north

Laura, now a Category 2 hurricane from 7 a.m. EDT, will continue north and weak on Thursday, while still carrying the risk of strong winds, heavy rainfall, some storm surge, tornadoes, tree damage and power outages.

Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated amounts of 15 inches, are possible across Central and Western Louisiana.

Parts of Arkansas get 3 to 7 inches, with isolated totals up to 10 inches from the heavy storms of the storm.

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Local heavy rain is also possible from the middle of the Mississippi valleys in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys and the central Appalachians later Friday through Saturday.

These areas can receive 2 to 4 inches of precipitation, with up to 6 inches in some places.

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The storm will still be Friday and even over the weekend brings the risk of heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms in parts of the Tennessee and Ohio Valley then in the MidAtlantic and Northeast as depression as post-tropical low.

Fox News’ Brie Stimson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.