Courtesy of ZeroHedge View original post here.
Update (1158ET): A new report from The Daily Advertiser, a daily newspaper based in Lafayette, Louisiana, is warning of a "possible chlorine leak" fire on the west side of Lake Charles.
A fire has broken out on the west side of Lake Charles, causing gases and smoke to plume over I-10.
The fire seems to have erupted at a chemical plant site or oil refinery, according to multiple reports on social media.
I-10 is closed at Sulphur, Louisiana, due to the massive chlorine leak, a HAM radio operator tells the National Weather Service.
The Cajun Navy, a non-profit citizen-led rescue relief team, has shared a video to Facebook warning residents to avoid entering Lake Charles through Sulphur. – The Daily Advertiser
Here's more footage of the fire:
Huge chemical fire just off I-10 in Lake Charles,LA pic.twitter.com/xQ1qcmPZYz
— RadarOmega (@RadarOmega_WX) August 27, 2020
Chemical leak south side of I-10 west Lake area west of Lake Charles. 911 is aware they are overwhelmed. @NWSLakeCharles #lawx pic.twitter.com/ogXwMmhVcj
— Jeff Piotrowski (@Jeff_Piotrowski) August 27, 2020
Chemical leak south side of I-10 west Lake area west of Lake Charles. 911 is aware they are overwhelmed. @NWSLakeCharles #lawx pic.twitter.com/ogXwMmhVcj
— Jeff Piotrowski (@Jeff_Piotrowski) August 27, 2020
Lake Charles, Louisiana is a hard hit area with widespread damage after Hurricane Laura made landfall early Thursday morning.
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Update (0840ET): First light in Lake Charles, Louisiana, reveals widespread damage:
– First light is revealing the incredible damage #HurricaneLaura did here in #LakeCharles #Louisiana over night… #Laura #CapitolOneTower pic.twitter.com/WSlP0MIZ0K
— WeatherGoingWILD (@WeatherGoinWILD) August 27, 2020
The morning is bringing daylight to some of the damage from Hurricane Laura. Here is a look at a damaged motel in Lake Charles, La. pic.twitter.com/7RElH48oWN
— WSPA 7News (@WSPA7) August 27, 2020
Plaza after plaza demolished in Lake Charles #Laura pic.twitter.com/cVoFnPbS2o
— Aaron Rigsby (@AaronRigsbyOSC) August 27, 2020
Communication towers are completely collapsed in downtown Lake Charles, LA #lawx #HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/LWhT0qQtL5
— Stephen Jones (@Tornado_Steejo) August 27, 2020
Significant damage all over Lake Charles #Laura pic.twitter.com/6v2a9CWIkG
— Aaron Rigsby (@AaronRigsbyOSC) August 27, 2020
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The 'extremely dangerous' Hurricane Laura made landfall early Thursday morning as a Category 4 near Cameron, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. The eye of the storm pushed inland across southwestern Louisiana around 3:00 ET, with "catastrophic storm surge, extreme winds, and flash flooding," the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
Around 0500ET, the NHC downgraded Laura to a Category 3 storm with winds up to 120 mph. The storm is moving northward through Louisiana as an "unsurvivable storm surge with large and destructive waves" batters the region.
NHC's Latest Update
It's too early to speculate the total dollar amount of damage caused by Laura. Still, with floodwaters expected to penetrate 40 miles inland and take "several days" to recede, it could be in the billions of dollars, like other major storms to hammer the region in recent years.
Storm Surge
Storm Surge Map
"Hurricane-force winds and widespread damaging wind gusts will continue to spread well inland into portions of extreme eastern Texas and western Louisiana through the day," NHC said.
A 132 mile per hour wind gust was recorded at the Lake Charles Regional Airport within Hurricane #Laura's northeastern eye wall. pic.twitter.com/oxxaggURyt
— Andrew Gorton WTOC (@AndrewGortonWx) August 27, 2020
PowerOutage.US shows more than 300,000 customers are without power in Louisiana and a little more than 75,000 in Texas.
Power Outages
The storm is just north of Lake Charles and is moving north at 15 mph.
Significant damage is being reported in Downtown Lake Charles.
Breaking news major damage in Downtown Lake Charles many skyscrapers have blown out winds.
Some of the building may be total losses.
Many roof off massive flying debris. @NWSLakeCharles #lawx #HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/s9EgeDtz43— Jeff Piotrowski (@Jeff_Piotrowski) August 27, 2020
NEW: buildings completely gutted, glass falling everywhere in downtown Lake Charles, LA in the eye of #HurricaneLaura @RadarOmega_WX pic.twitter.com/o1nkGLgUiB
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 27, 2020
Watch what happened at 5:15 in @Jeff_Piotrowski's broadcast: Breaking news Hurricane Laura. Lake Charles
This is insane. https://t.co/W5gH2mYNm3
— Magpie Rose (@MagpieRose9) August 27, 2020
Golden Nugget Lake Charles is damaged.
TAKE A LOOK: #HurricaneLaura ripped away chunks off the roof at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino. https://t.co/TgY7DtAAwl pic.twitter.com/gHPedDkBjO
— KETK NEWS (@KETK) August 27, 2020
Forecast flooding depths in Lake Charles.
Excellent but terrifying graphics showing forecast flooding depths in Lake Charles Louisiana as a result of #HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/v4JsupIk6y
— Dave Throup (@DaveThroupEA) August 27, 2020
More widespread damage is being reported around Lake Charles.
Excellent but terrifying graphics showing forecast flooding depths in Lake Charles Louisiana as a result of #HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/v4JsupIk6y
— Dave Throup (@DaveThroupEA) August 27, 2020
NEW: A look at some of the damage being found around Lake Charles after Hurricane Laura made landfall nearby as a Cat 4 storm. Roofs of buildings torn off, trucks toppled, debris and trees all over. @WPTV pic.twitter.com/ujlp3ZMgX7
— Erica Rakow (@EricaRakow) August 27, 2020
A piece of the Lake Charles skyline has collapsed, here is a view of the KPLC tower. Photo credit to Charlie Haldeman of ABC 13 in Houston. #lawx pic.twitter.com/N908vVP4Qm
— Zack Fradella (@ZackFradellaWx) August 27, 2020
The long-term model tracker shows the storm could arrive in the Mid-Atlantic region by Saturday afternoon.