New-Hurricane-Laura-Death-Toll-Released

New Hurricane Laura Death Toll Released

Hurricane Laura ripped through the Gulf Coast early Thursday morning as a major Category 4 storm. The death toll is now up to seven people, with dozens of people still missing.

Louisiana Governor Bel Edwards reports that one of the seven dead is a 14-year-old-girl that died when a tree fell on her home. Most of the deaths are due to falling trees. One of the fatalities was a 24-year-old man that died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and another died from drowning aboard a sinking ship. More than 875,000 people are stuck without power in those states as of yesterday morning.

More than 150 people refused the order to evacuate their homes before Laura hit.

https://twitter.com/AlaStormTracker/status/1299393903498530816

In Austin, during evacuations, a fight broke out among 60 people. The police said the two groups were fighting when a stray bullet hit a homeless woman nearby.

Louisiana’s coast has been devastated by Hurricane Laura, with the worst-hit towns being Lake Charles and Cameron. Residents of Lake Charles have been told to stay inside with their air conditioners off and windows closed due to a chemical fire that started at a manufacturing plant. The high today in Lake Charles is 85 degrees with heavy rain.

Hurricane Laura’s Progress

Hurricane Laura was the largest hurricane to hit the United States this year and the largest hurricane to hit Louisiana since 1856. It downgraded from a Category 4 hurricane to a Category 3 once it passed through Lake Charles. It quickly dropped to a Category 2 one through DeQuincy. As of yesterday afternoon, Laura was downgraded to a tropical storm.

Laura is now passing through Missouri with storms also hitting from Memphis and Nashville. By tomorrow morning, Laura will be passing through Kentucky and entering into West Virginia. Along the coast, however, is still seeing thunderstorms.

[H/T Daily Mail]