Above image: Meteorologist Donald Jones stayed with Louisiana residents on a special Facebook feed on the Lake Charles National Weather Service site. He calmly responded to hundreds of questions texted in by concerned locals. Jones demonstrated his solid knowledge of hurricanes, along with his geographical awareness of Louisiana.
Landfall officially at Cameron, Louisiana
(AP) — Laura roared ashore over southwestern Louisiana near the Texas border as a ferocious Category 4 hurricane late Wednesday, swamping a low-lying coast with ocean water that forecasters said could be 20 feet deep and unsurvivable.
Winds gusted above hurricane force to 127 mph (204 kph) while Laura's northern eyewall moved onshore over Cameron Parish, the National Hurricane Center said at midnight, and forecasters said even stronger winds were possible that could rip apart buildings, level trees and toss vehicles like toys.
Authorities had implored coastal residents of Texas and Louisiana to evacuate, but not everyone did before howling winds began buffeting trees back and forth in an area that was devastated by Rita in 2005.
Video and photos on social media showed torrents of rain flying sideways past street lights in Lake Charles, and streets covered with water closer to the coast. With hours of violent weather ahead, officials said the extent of destruction likely wouldn't be clear until daybreak, when search and rescue missions will begin.
Drawing energy from the warm Gulf of Mexico, the system arrived early Thursday during high tide as the most powerful hurricane to strike the U.S. so far this year.
“It looks like it’s in full beast mode, which is not what you want to see if you’re in its way," University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy said.
The storm grew nearly 87% in power in just 24 hours to a size the National Hurricane Center called “extremely dangerous.” Drawing energy from the warm Gulf of Mexico, the system arrived early Thursday during high tide as the most powerful hurricane to strike the U.S. so far this year.