Louisiana digs out of yet another hurricane
LAKE CHARLES, LA. » First, Hurricane Laura roared ashore with its staggering, 150 mph (241 kph) winds. Then Hurricane Delta followed, with less wind but with ferocious downpours. The two back-to-back hurricanes in the space of six weeks have left this pocket of southwest Louisiana blanketed with tarpaulins, debris and flooded streets — but not despair.
Earnestine and Milton Wesley had decided to ride out Delta in their Lake Charles home, damaged just weeks earlier by Laura. As thewind rustledthe tarp above them, they grabbed it through the hole in the ceiling and held on tight. Water poured in, flooding their den.
“We fought all night long trying to keep things intact,” Milton said. “And withgod’s helpwemade it.”
Hannah Franklin lives in Iowa, a small town of about 3,000 people outside of Lake Charles. She evacuated for both Laura and Delta, but she said not everyone could. Some people have been living in tents because they don’t have anywhere to go, she said.
She’s worried that the region isn’t getting the help that it needs. At the same time, she’s been heartened by the way the community has pulled together. Neighbors check on neighbors, bringing food or water.
“It’s been really, really sad to see. But at the same time,” she said, “it warms your heart to see ... how strong Louisiana is.”
Delta made landfall Friday evening near the coastal town of Creole with top winds of 100 mph. It moved over Lake Charles, a city where Hurricane Laura damaged nearly every home and building in late August.
No deaths had been reported by Sunday morning, but a hurricane’s wake can be treacherous. Seven of the 32 deaths attributed to Laura came the day that hurricane struck. Many others were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, and 10,000 utility workers were dispatched Saturday to get power restored to thousands of customers.