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Hurricane Laura: Louisiana begins clean-up from one of the strongest storms in state history

Hurricane Laura: Louisiana begins clean-up from one of the strongest storms in state history
Posted at 7:47 AM, Aug 28, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-28 12:50:13-04

Cleanup is underway in Louisiana and southeastern Texas after one of the strongest hurricanes to ever make landfall in the area caused extensive damage and flooding on Thursday.

Reports Thursday indicated that Hurricane Laura killed six people, including a 14-year-old girl. Officials expect that number to rise as recovery efforts continue.

Laura is continuing to bring heavy winds and rains to the south-central United States. Reports say that the system spun off tornadoes in Arkansas on Thursday night, and the storm will bring heavy rains and 30 mph winds to the Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley regions on Friday.

As of Friday morning, more than half a million people in Louisiana are still without electricity. About 200,000 people in Texas are also without power, including 94 percent of people in Orange County, a county bordering Louisiana.

Among the areas hardest hit by Laura was Lake Charles, a city in southwest Louisiana. Though it's located about 40 miles inland, massive storm surge and heavy rain have caused extensive flooding in the area. Photos show homes underwater and structures blown over.

Portions of I-10 west of Lake Charles remain closed as of Friday morning as workers attempt to clear debris from the expressway.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump said he would visit Louisiana to survey damage over the weekend.