Published 04:42 IST, August 29th 2020
US: Hurricane Laura leaves more than 750,000 without power and water in Louisiana
Hurricane Laura fatalities almost doubled on Friday, August 28 to at least 14. The powerful storm has left almost 750,000 without power and water.
- World News
- 2 min read
Hurricane Laura fatalities almost doubled on Friday, August 28 to at least 14. The powerful storm has left almost 750,000 without power and water. As per reports, the communities started a clean-up drive along the ravaged coastline of Louisiana where the officials believe that the situation could persist for a long period of time.
In the aftermath of Category 4 storm which hit Louisiana and neighboring state of Texas, more bodies emerged during a rescue operation conducted by the officials.
Power and water outages
As per reports, the storm resulted in thousands of people leaving their homes and fleeing the Gulf-Coast. As the storm hit coastal region of Louisiana, the homes were left without roofs, roads littered with debris and the likelihood of a harsh recovery that could take months.
Lake Charles, a city having a population of 80,000 people is reported to have sustained some of the worst damage. Hurricane Laura caused the electricity outage and trees blocking paths creating a huge traffic snarl. Mayor Nic Hunter informed that authorities are working to restore electricity and water treatment plants.
The Louisiana Department of Health is reported to have informed that about forty nursing homes were also relying on generators. It added that an assessment is being conducted to determine if more than 860 residents in 11 facilities that had been evacuated could return. It further added that water outages remained a major problem in evacuated facilities.
US President Donald Trump planned to visit the Gulf Coast this weekend to review the situation. As per reports, the storm left hundreds of homes and businesses without power in Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. The Louisiana Department of Health estimated that more than 220,000 people were without water.
On the other hand, Hurricane Laura threatened to bring flash floods and tornadoes to Tennessee as the storm has moved towards the north becoming a tropical depression. Forecasters have warned that the system could strengthen into a tropical storm again upon returning to the Atlantic Ocean this weekend.
Image/Inputs: AP
Updated 04:42 IST, August 29th 2020