Hurricane Laura is continuing to devastate as the death toll climbs to 16. Many of the casualties are due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
After Hurricane Laura ripped through the coast of Louisiana and Texas last week as a major Category 4 storm, reports on the damages are shocking. Repairs could take months to restore the town to normal. Officials are warning residents returning to the area that full water and power functions could take several weeks to be repaired.
Hurricane Laura hit the US early on Thursday with wind speeds reaching up to 150 mph. It was one of the worst hurricanes to have ever hit the state. In comparison, Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, was a Category 3 storm.
Hurricane Laura’s Damage to Small Towns
Lake Charles, Louisiana, a city of around 80,000, took one of the worst hits from Laura. Due to floodwaters finally receding, cleanup is underway. Telephone poles line the streets, and pieces of roofs litter neighborhoods.
After more rain on Friday, places like First United Methodist Church fought to keep the church dry.
“This roof blew off,” said Michael Putman, owner of Putman Restoration. “There’s some of it over there,” Putman says while pointing to the roof parts as they lay near a neighboring building.
Places like Cameron Parish still have many roads that are impassable due to debris. The local high school is also without a roof, and a barge lies on its side on the riverbank.
Unsafe Conditions
The unsafe use of generators lead to many of the deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning. Some of the latest deaths include an 80-year-old woman and an 84-year-old man who died from the airborne poison.
Without power, many are deciding what will be left of their homes. Others question when they will be able to return. The Louisiana August heat will remain in the 90s for the next week, with most unable to use air conditioning.
Mayor of Lake Charles wrote on Facebook, “if you come back to Lake Charles to stay, make sure you understand the above reality and are prepared to live in it for many days, probably weeks.”
President Donald Trump was visiting hard-hit areas such as the Louisiana and Texas coast to give a briefing on relief efforts.
[H/T ABC 11]
