The hurricane damage is so extensive in Lake Charles that it will be weeks before people can live there again …
The stretch of I-10 near Lake Charles reopens. Officials are encouraging motorists to use extra caution when driving through the area as clean-up operations are still underway. The shelter in place order for the area, due to a chemical plant fire, has also been lifted. DOTD says there are still multiple road closures through various central Louisiana parishes including Grant, Natchitoches, Winn, Rapides, Sabine, and Vernon.
The White House announces President Trump is traveling to Louisiana and Texas on Saturday as he is expected to tour the areas impacted by the storm.
Governor Edwards says he’s optimistic that power to most people in north and central Louisiana can be restored in a manner of hours and days, and not weeks which could be the case in the Lake Charles area. The number of water systems not operating statewide has risen to 82. Edwards says this is concerning for many health care facilities…
McNeese State hopes it can resume on-campus classes in a few weeks after it was damaged by Hurricane Laura. McNeese spokesperson Candace Townsend says there was damage to several buildings and the school has a newly installed scoreboard at the football stadium that was torn up.