Residents catch a break with Marco but make necessary preparations ahead of Hurricane Laura

LAKE CHARLES, La. (WSVN) – Hurricane Laura’s track has shifted leaving states like Louisiana and Texas on edge as the storm is expected to hit the coast as a Category 3 storm.

As of Tuesday night, the cone of concern centers over the Texas/Louisiana state line, which may cause places like Lake Charles, Louisiana and Beaumont, Texas to possibly see a storm surge reaching up to 13 feet high.

“The storm surge could be worse than [Hurricane] Rita,” Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said. “That is a sobering thought.”

Current weather conditions are ripe for Hurricane Laura to strengthen. Officials expect the storm to grow into a Category 3 major hurricane either late Wednesday or early Thursday, before it makes landfall near the Louisiana-Texas border.

“We’re now recommending a mandatory evacuation for all of Calcasieu Parish,” Dick Gremillion, the parish’s head of emergency preparedness, said.

The National Hurricane Center expects Laura to drop anywhere between four to 12 inches of rain beginning Wednesday night and extending through Saturday. Widespread urban flooding remains a major concern as a result.

“Be very aware to make sure that you’re not near that because it can easily sweep you away, causing you to lose your life,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbot said.

More than 500,000 Americans are under evacuation orders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In Texas, along the barrier islands, buses that have been evacuating people must remain at 50% capacity to maintain social distancing. In many shelters across Louisiana, officials created separate COVID-19 isolation wards, so those infected with the virus can have a place to hunker down during the storm.

Among those evacuating is Bobby Keeling, who will head east towards New Orleans, Wednesday morning.

“I’m afraid that the power will go out, and based on what happened with Rita, it might be several days before it’s back,” he said.

Cynthia Jones, however, will not be evacuating her Lake Charles home and will hunker down during the storm.

“Those people who are native here know how to prepare,” Jones said. “We Louisianans and on this Gulf Coast, we’re resilient. We bounce back.”

On Monday night, a weakened Tropical Storm Marco made landfall in the area, sparing the Gulf Coast from dreaded back-to-back hurricanes.

Instead of hunkering down, many people spent the day enjoying the breezy weather along the New Orleans Lake.

“I was just enjoying the breeze, the scenery, enjoying pizza and our daiquiris,” said New Orleans resident Eugene Jones.

Unlike Marco, Hurricane Laura is posing a threat to slam the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane.

On Tuesday, crews could be seen closing the flood gates in New Orleans, bracing for an onslaught of heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge.

Locals could also be seen making last-minute preparations like picking up sandbags and hitting grocery stores to stock up on the essentials.

“We’ve got two little ones, and so with these storms we, like most people, made the decision to stay, and we’re sort of just kind of hunkering down for a few days,” said New Orleans resident Elijah Frailich.

Texas officials are urging residents to be prepared for when Laura makes landfall.

“Our strategy should never be to hope for the best,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hildago. “We don’t have the luxury of time, so the time to prepare is right now.”

Laura already struck the Caribbean, killing several people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, in addition to causing massive flooding and knocking out power.

Louisiana, as well as several Texas counties, are now under a state of emergency.

Friday will mark the 15th anniversary of when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast.

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