The Lake Charles region may have been spared the predicted catastrophic storm surge but the winds from Hurricane Laura have left a mark, and now residents in nearby Westlake, Moss Bluff, and Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish are being instructed to stay inside due to a chemical fire at the BioLab plant. State Police Trooper Derek Senegal says hazmat teams are on scene…

Cut 12 (13) “…of it reigniting.”

The plume is ignited chlorine.

Elsewhere in the area the Isle of Capri riverboat barge had to be dislodged from under the I-10 Bridge, causing a shutdown of the bridge for inspection.

Laura made landfall with 150 mile per hour winds, and winds of at least 100 miles per hour were reported in Lake Charles. Calcasieu Police Jury President Tony Guillory…

Cut 5 (05)  “…structure damage. ”

Four people are so far confirmed to have died from incidents related to the hurricane. 14-year-old girl in Leesville died when the fierce winds knocked a tree down on her home. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says with so many trees down it wasn’t easy to get to the scene…

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Other fatalities were reported in Jackson and Acadia Parishes.

Governor Edwards says the state is lucky to have avoided the worst-case scenarios projected for Hurricane Laura but still a record number of power crews and search and rescue first responders are scouring areas in the path of the storm. He asks you not to get in their way.

Cut 16 (10) “…do that.” 

1,500 search and rescue workers are active in the state.

Hurricane Laura is now a tropical storm but before she made landfall, she registered 150 mile per hour winds and was a near category five hurricane. Governor John Bel Edwards says so far four lives have been lost and at least 600,000 Louisianans are without power and that number is expected to climb.

Cut 15 (12) “electricity” 

Congressman Ralph Abraham is surveying areas of the state impacted by Hurricane Laura. Abraham says he started at daybreak in his vehicle in Lake Charles then drove north to Deridder and on to Alexandria.

Cut 10 (10) “…left untouched.”

Governor Edwards tweeted this morning highly discouraging citizens from sightseeing damage caused by Laura because the area is not safe.

Hurricane Laura’s fierce winds have left a trail of catastrophic damage. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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Just weeks after parish officials voted to keep a Confederate monument outside the Calcasieu Parish courthouse in Lake Charles it was toppled during last night’s hurricane. The statue, dubbed “The South’s Defenders” monument was at the center of debate recently as confederate monuments were being removed across the nation during George Floyd protests.

Governor Edwards says the state is lucky to have avoided the worst-case scenarios projected for Hurricane Laura just 24 hours ago. Up to 20 feet of storm surge was predicted. Edwards says at most we got 12, and the surge did not push into Lake Charles as was expected. Despite this he says at least four lives have been lost, and…

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One of those fatalities happened near Iota in Acadia Parish. Sheriff K-P Gibson says a 68-year-old man died when a tree fell on his home. Gibson doesn’t believe Acadia Parish suffered the type of damage seen in Calcasieu and Vernon, but it could take a while before power is restored…

Cut 9 (11) “…get em up”

Residents of Westlake, Moss Bluff, and Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish are being instructed to stay inside due to a chemical fire at the BioLab plant.  The fire has sent thick smoke into the air that contains poisonous chlorine.  Trooper Dereck Senegal says hazmat teams are on the scene tending to the situation.

Cut 12 (13) “…of it reigniting.”

Hurricane Laura made landfall this morning as a Category Four storm, maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, at 1 AM in Cameron. Lake Charles took a direct hit as they had sustained winds of at least 100 miles per hour. Calcasieu Police Jury President Tony Guillory spoke with us as he surveyed the damage…

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Laura is now a tropical storm.

Hurricane Laura is now a Tropical Storm but when she made landfall at 1am in Cameron she was a category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour. Lake Charles took a direct hit as they had sustained winds of at least 100 miles per hour. Calcasieu Police Jury President Tony Guillory says he’s never seen or felt wind speeds that he experienced when Laura barreled through Lake Charles…

Cut 4 (13)“ …good part” 

At least four fatalities have been reported in Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Laura. A 14-year-old girl in Leesville died when the fierce winds knocked a tree down on her home. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says hundreds of trees are down, so it took a while before his deputies could arrive at the scene

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Congressman Ralph Abraham is out surveying areas of the state that were severely impacted by Hurricane Laura overnight Abraham says power lines and trees are down and debris is everywhere. He also praises first responders who are risking their lives to come to the aid of others.

Cut 11 (11) “…their public.”

His journey began this morning in Lake Charles, through Deridder and then onto Alexandria.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has issued an emergency alert warning for residents of Westlake, Moss Bluff, and Sulphur to shelter in place, and turn off their air conditioning and close windows and doors due to a chemical fire at BioLab this morning and 1-10 in Southwest Louisiana remains closed.

Also, the Isle of Capri Barge River Boat that was lodge under I-10 has been removed.

Hurricane Laura has now downgraded to a tropical storm but so far we know she’s claimed three in Louisiana. In Jackson Parish, a man died when a tree fell on his home. Another fatality happened near Iota in Acadia Parish. Sheriff K-P Gibson says a 68-year-old man died when a tree fell on his home.

Cut 8 (11) “under that tree”

The youngest victim so far is a 14-year-old girl in Leesville who died when fierce winds knocked a tree down on her home. The eye of the storm went right over Vernon Parish. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft believes it spawned a couple of tornadoes and they had winds of over 120-miles per hour…

Cut 7 (10) “…very, very limited”

Hurricane Laura made landfall this morning as a Category Four storm, maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, at 1 AM in Cameron. Lake Charles took a direct hit as they had sustained winds of at least 100 miles per hour. Calcasieu Police Jury President Tony Guillory (Gill-oh-ree) spoke with us as he surveyed the damage… Guillory says he remembers Hurricane Rita in 2005, but the damage from this storm is worse

Cut 5 (05)  “…structure damage. ”

Laura has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.

Congressman Ralph Abraham started at daybreak today surveying areas of the state damaged by Laura. While the storm surge was half of what was predicted, Abraham says the state however still suffered extreme damage from Hurricane Laura.

Cut 12 (16) “…lot lot of damage”

Hurricane Laura made landfall near Cameron as a Category 4 storm with max winds at 150 miles per hour around 1AM. An extreme wind warning is in effect until at least 5am for all of Calcasieu and Beauregard Parishes as well as portions of Cameron, Allen, Jeff Davis, Vermilion and Vernon Parishes for extremely dangerous hurricane winds.

For the first time since 2012, the entire Louisiana National Guard has been mobilized. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says Urban Search and Rescue teams are on standby to respond to the areas impacted by Hurricane Laura. Browning calls the teams critical in responding to building collapses and people being trapped in buildings.

Cut 13 (08) “…ready to respond.” 

Northwest Louisiana is bracing to endure hurricane conditions throughout the day as Laura is projected to maintain strength even as it moves inland. DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jason Richardson says it’s unusual for them to have to make hurricane plans. Most of the time when storms strike it’s them sending assets to other areas.

Cut 12 (13) “…case.”

Hurricane Laura has made landfall near Cameron as a Category 4 storm with max winds at 150 miles per hour. An extreme wind warning is in effect until at least 3am for all of Calcasieu Parish as well as portions of Cameron, Beauregard, Allen, Jeff Davis, and Vermilion Parishes for extremely dangerous hurricane winds. Morning show host from Acadiana radio station Big 102.1 Fast says even in the outskirts of the warning area, the gusts are still fierce.
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In response to Hurricane Laura, Governor John Bel Edwards has mobilized the entire Louisiana National Guard, a decision he says hasn’t been made since Hurricane Isaac in 2012. Louisiana National Guard Sgt. Denis Ricou (Denny Ree-coo) says they’ve got plenty of food and water to take care of people in the aftermath.

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More than 3,000 guardsmen are out and ready to support response and recovery efforts.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says roughly 500 Urban Search and Rescue team members are on standby to respond to the areas impacted by Hurricane Laura. Browning says much of the work of the state’s Urban Search and Rescue teams takes place outside of the state and says now many of those states are coming to return the favor.

Cut 15 (10) “we work with” 

Hurricane Laura has made landfall near Cameron as a Category 4 storm with max winds at 150 miles per hour and is moving into Calcasieu Parish. An extreme wind warning is in effect until at least 3am for all of Calcasieu Parishes as well as portions of Cameron, Beauregard, Allen, Jeff Davis, Vermilion, and Acadia Parishes for extremely dangerous hurricane winds. For those in these areas, if not already, move immediately to an interior room or shelter and treat these extreme winds like a tornado.

In response to Hurricane Laura, Governor John Bel Edwards has mobilized the entire Louisiana National Guard, a decision he says hasn’t been made since Hurricane Isaac in 2012. Louisiana National Guard Sgt. Denis Ricou (Denny Ree-coo) says more than 3,000 guardsmen are out and will be utilizing the Guard’s extensive search and rescue assets.

Cut 5 (12)  “…efforts.”

Those search and rescue efforts will begin once the storm passes.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says Urban Search and Rescue teams are on standby to respond to the areas impacted by Hurricane Laura. Browning calls the teams critical in responding to building collapses and people being trapped in buildings.Browning says the outlook is not good and hopes residents have fled coastal areas where massive storm surges are expected.

Cut 14 (10) “of evacuation.”

Northwest Louisiana is bracing to endure hurricane conditions throughout the day as Laura is projected to maintain strength even as it moves inland. DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jason Richardson says the biggest concern will be winds, which could be sustained at over 73 miles per hour, with higher gusts.

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An extreme wind warning is in effect for all of Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes as well as portions of Beauregard, Allen, Jeff Davis, Acadia, and Vermilions Parishes for extremely dangerous hurricane winds. The National Weather Service says treat these extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter immediately

In response to Hurricane Laura, Governor John Bel Edwards has mobilized the entire Louisiana National Guard, a decision he says hasn’t been made since Hurricane Isaac in 2012. Louisiana National Guard Sgt. Denis Ricou (Denny Ree-coo) says more than 3,000 guardsmen are out and ready to support response and recovery efforts.

Cut 4 (12)“…government” 

Ricou says those 3,000 plus soldiers will be utilizing the Guard’s extensive search and rescue assets.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says Urban Search and Rescue teams are on standby to respond to the areas impacted by Hurricane Laura. Browning calls the teams critical in responding to building collapses and people being trapped in buildings.

Cut 13 (08) “…ready to respond.” 

Northwest Louisiana is bracing to endure hurricane conditions throughout the day as Laura is projected to maintain strength even as it moves inland.

DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jason Richardson says they dealt with Rita in 2005, but Laura looks set to top that.

Cut 10 (09) “…we’ve seen.”