Governor Edwards announces the closure of portions of I-10. I-10 eastbound is closed at the Texas-Louisiana line, and westbound is closed at that Atchafalaya Basin because of expected flooding. Hurricane Laura is up to 150 mile per hour winds. Only one hurricane on record has made landfall at that intensity, and that was back in 1856.
Once Laura makes landfall it will continue North along with the Louisiana – Texas state line. In addition to coastal Louisiana, Benjamin Schott with the National Weather Service says hurricane-force winds will be felt in Alexandria and south of Shreveport…
A Tornado watch is in effect until 8am as far north as Winn Parish and as far east as Lake Pontchartrain.
Governor Edwards warns that Laura is projected to bring devastation not seen in southwest Louisiana since Hurricane Audrey in 1957. Hurricane Laura is likely to create, two-story-high storm surge.
Congressman Garret Graves says unlike southeast Louisiana, southwest Louisiana does not have an extensive network of levees. Graves says southwest Louisiana has abundant wetlands which will allow the floodwaters to recede faster than they would in southeast Louisiana.
State officials are alerting residents that mass power outages in the path of the storm are highly likely, and could persist for days after landfall.