Governor Edwards says about 212,000 households are still without power a week after Laura made landfall. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Hurricane Laura is estimated to be an eight-to-nine billion-dollar insured loss event. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
cut 2 (25) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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It’s been one week since Hurricane Laura made landfall in Cameron Parish and cut a line of devastation from Lake Charles to Ruston.
Governor John Bel Edwards says no storm has ever maintained so much strength across so much of the state but despite the damage, he’s optimistic about the recovery.
The Public Service Commission reports 211-thousand customers are still without power, down from the post-Laura peak of 615,000. Edwards warns many of those still out are in the hardest-hit areas.
Nearly all of Winn, Beauregard, Calcasieu, and Cameron Parishes are still without power. Half of the customers in Natchitoches, Sabine, Vernon, Grant, and Allen Parishes are still out. These numbers come from the PSC.
Edwards says as of this morning nearly 12-thousand people are being sheltered by the state, nearly all in hotels, and he’s concerned about what would happen if out of state evacuees were to return right now.
The Governor asks anyone being sheltered out of state to remain out of state for the time being.
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A lot of the attention on hurricane recovery in southwest Louisiana has been on Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes, but Beauregard Parish also took a significant hit from the Category Four storm. Sheriff Mark Herford says 85-percent of the parish is without power, but you will not go hungry…
Herford says there are hundreds of linemen working on getting the electricity and they deserve a pat on the back
Herford says some areas could be without power for close to a month. He says Beauregard is your typical quiet rural parish, but there’s a lot of activity taking place now
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Hurricane Laura is estimated to be an eight-to-nine billion-dollar insured loss event, the second-highest in the state’s history only behind Katrina. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says with the mass amount of claims coming into insurers, policyholders need to file as soon as possible.
Cut 9 (07) “…resolve your claim.”
Whether it is tarping a roof, removing a tree, or whatever actions that need to be done, Donelon recommends taking whatever remedial steps can be taken to minimize the loss.
Cut 10 (08) “…connection therewith.”
Donelon says anyone who took photos of their property before the storm should also take photos of the damage caused by the storm for comparison by an adjuster.
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49-year-old George Burns of Melder was shot by a Rapides Parish Sheriff SWAT marksman during a standoff after Burns allegedly barricaded in a home and fired at deputies.
Rapides Sheriff Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline says deputies responded to a call from a suspect threatening to kill himself. When deputies entered the home…
After retreating from the home with Burns’ family Carnline says deputies called in SWAT and negotiators to try to talk Burns down, but it wasn’t working and Burns began firing at law enforcement.
Burns is in stable but critical condition.
Carnline says it’s a sad situation and appears to be a family-related incident related to Burns’ estranged wife, but…
Charges are pending on Burns. Carnline says this is the second barricading incident Rapides deputies have responded to this week.
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