Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category Four hurricane early this morning in Cameron, with maximum sustained winds at 150 miles per hour. It goes down as the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Louisiana in 164 years.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says about 500 Urban Search and Rescue team members, many from other states, are ready to help in the aftermath…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The Louisiana National Guard has more than three-thousand Guardsmen who are ready to assist in search and rescue operations. Sergeant Denis Ricou…
cut 5 (12) “….efforts”
Guardsmen have also strategically placed 921-thousand liters of water and 528-thousand M-R-Es for potential distribution.

Hurricane Laura is now a Category Two storm with maximum sustained winds at 110 miles per hour. The center of the storm is 45 miles north-northwest of Lake Charles.

The storm will continue to head north on the western side of Louisiana. Desoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson says they are expecting hurricane strength winds…
cut 11 (05) “…wind of event here”
And five to eight inches of rain, possibly up to 10 inches.

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That’s the sound of wind whipping through Lake Charles as Hurricane Laura is roaring through southwest Louisiana after making landfall early this morning in Cameron as a Category Four storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour. A news crew from Mobile, Alabama has released a video that shows part of the roof being blown off the Golden Nugget casino in Lake Charles.

The entire Louisiana National Guard has been activated. Sergeant Denis Ricou says they have plenty of food and water to take care of storm victims…
cut 6 (08) “….to eat”
Water rescues will be likely. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says Urban Search and rescue personnel have come in from other states…
cut 15 (10) “…work with”

Laura has weakened to a Category Three hurricane as the center of the storm is 30 miles north-northwest of Lake Charles. An estimated 300-thousand households in Louisiana are without power and those power outages extend into northwest Louisiana. Desoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson says he usually sends a group of deputies to the coast when a hurricane hits, but not this time…
cut 12 (13) “…case”

Governor Edwards says the state has made progress in its fight to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, but he’s extending Phase two restrictions for another two weeks through September 11th. Edwards says he wants to see how the return of the school year has impacted the spread of the virus…
cut 7 (13) “…positivity”
Edwards says it will be difficult to keep track of the virus as testing will be reduced due to the storm.

After making landfall in Cameron around one o’clock this morning as a Category Four hurricane with 150 mile per hour winds. Laura’s maximum sustained winds are down to 120 miles per hour as it continues to move northward over southwestern Louisiana at 15 miles per hour. The center of the storm is 30 miles north-northwest of Lake Charles.

The entire Louisiana National Guard has been activated for this monster storm, which was expected to produce a 20-foot storm surge. Sergeant Denis Ricou says that means over three-thousand guardsmen…
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The state fire marshal’s office has search and rescue teams ready. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning..
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As we told you in the first segment, Laura, with 120-mile per hour winds is making its way towards northwest Louisiana where Hurricane warnings are posted as far north as DeSoto Parish. Sheriff Jason Richardson says they dealt with Hurricane Rita in 2005, but Laura could top that…
cut 10 (10) “…we’ve seen”

Governor Edwards has extended phase two coronavirus restrictions for another two weeks until September 11th. Mass evacuations out of southwest Louisiana is one of the reasons why it was extended. Edwards says hundreds of thousands left for other parts of the state and that region has the highest positivity rate in Louisiana. And…
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The state reported 846 additional coronavirus cases yesterday and 32 deaths.

The warnings pertaining to Hurricane Laura are grim. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting a storm surge of up to 20 feet which they say is unsurvivable for those living along the coast. Laura is expected to make landfall near the Louisiana-Texas line late tonight, early tomorrow morning and maintain hurricane strength as it moves over Toledo Bend. Benjamin Schott with the National Weather Service says hurricane-force winds will be felt in Alexandria and south of Shreveport…
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Schott says a lot of structures, power lines, and trees will be knocked down.

Laura will leave thousands without power. Entergy CEO Philip May says they have thousands of workers ready to restore electricity…
cut 9 (09) “…in Louisiana”

The National Hurricane Center warns up to 20 feet of storm surge is possible in parts of southwest Louisiana due to Hurricane Laura. Congressman Garret Graves says unlike southeast Louisiana, southwest Louisiana does not have an extensive network of levees.
cut 6 (12) “harm’s way”
Graves says Laura will also produce additional coastal land loss.

Governor Edwards has just wrapped up a press briefing where he announced COVID Phase two restrictions will be extended for another two weeks. The state is reporting 844 new cases and 33 deaths today.

Hurricane Laura continues to strengthen and it’s expected to become an extremely dangerous Category Four storm before it makes landfall late tonight and early tomorrow morning near Louisiana-Texas state line. Joel Cline with the National Hurricane Center says Laura will produce catastrophic storm surge…
cut 3 (11) “…unsurvivable”
The 20-foot storm surge could be felt in Vermilion Parish too. Governor Edwards says I-10 through Lake Charles may flood, so people need to get out now. Edwards says the state has been able to find hotels for one-thousand people so far…
cut 16 (08) “…appreciative of that”
But Edwards says he’s concerned with the number of people who have decided to ride the storm out.

Hurricane Laura’s winds have reached 125 miles per hour and further strengthening is expected. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso says this storm could be worse than Hurricane Rita.…
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As of ten AM, the center of Laura was 225 miles south-southeast of Lake Charles and moving northwest at 16 miles per hour.

It’s all hands on deck for the Cajun Navy as water rescues will be likely after Laura passes. They have been instrumental in helping with other natural disasters. Cajun Navy Relief Founder Colleen Udell says this response will be different as COVID-19 spread mitigation efforts will be part of their operations.
Cut 9 (10) “…these critical rescues.”

Hurricane Laura has strengthened to a Category Three storm and there’s a possibility it could be a Category Four storm when it makes landfall near the Louisiana/Texas border early Thursday morning…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Laura is expected to move into northwest Louisiana tomorrow afternoon. Caddo Emergency Preparedness Deputy Director Robert Jump says people need to prepare for winds over 40-miles per hour…
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Southwest Louisiana is bracing for a hurricane that could produce catastrophic damage. Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says anyone who has the means of doing so needs to get out of the area as soon as possible…
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Calcasieu Sheriff Tony Mancuso has evacuated the parish jail…
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Mancuso says until the storm passes there will be a zero-tolerance policy on illegal behavior, and those arrested will have to ride out the storm and subsequent days in the jail.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he’ll make an announcement today on extending Phase 2 coronavirus restrictions. Phase two sets business capacity at 50-percent requires masks and prohibits on-site consumption at bars. The current phase two order expires on Friday.

Hurricane Laura continues to get stronger as it churns towards the Lousiana-Texas state line. Its maximum sustained winds are at 115 miles per hour, which makes it a Category 3 storm and the National Hurricane Center expects Laura will strengthen into a dangerous Category 4 storm before it makes landfall early Thursday morning.

Calcasieu Parish officials say 70 percent of areas south of I-10 may flood…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The Cajun Navy is mobilizing crews as water rescues will likely be needed in southwest Louisiana. Founder of Cajun Navy Relief Colleen Udell says for those who need assistance, she recommends calling 9-1-1 first, then reach out to the organization…
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Udell says those interested in contributing time or other resources to the mission can find information on how to do so at their website, cajunnavyrelief.com.

Laura is also expected to produce storm damage in northwest Louisiana as the center of the storm will move past the Shreveport-Bossier area tomorrow afternoon. A hurricane warning is posted as far north as Desoto, Red River and Natchitoches parishes. Caddo Emergency Preparedness Deputy Director Robert Jump says they could see up to eight inches of rain in isolated areas….
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