Hurricane Laura hit Louisiana and Texas in the United States of America (USA). Eight thousand homes were reportedly destroyed as 400,000 people were additionally left without power and 200,000 lost their water supply.
The death toll from Hurricane Laura has reached sixteen, reported Associated Press. Carbon monoxide poisoning arising as a result of the unsafe use of power generators was reported to have killed more than half of the victims.
As hundreds of thousands were left without power in the storm’s aftermath, officials warned residents along the Louisiana coast that they may face weeks without power or water.
Governor John Bel Edwards claimed that the devastation and damage stretched all the way up to the northern parts of Louisiana. He said Laura was “the strongest storm to ever hit Louisiana”. It was a category-four hurricane when it hit the state.
Apart from carbon monoxide poisoning, other deaths were attributed to falling trees crushing people and people drowning.
Up to 1,500 people were reportedly being deployed in ‘rescue and clean-up missions’. The National Guard was also assisting with operations. As the White House declared a major disaster in several parishes in Louisiana, president Donald Trump visited affected areas in Louisiana and Texas on Saturday.
