PrintResponse Examples from 2020: Hurricane Laura in S.W. Louisiana
In the early hours of August 27, 2020, Hurricane Laura made landfall as a category 4 storm on the coast of Southwestern Louisiana, near the Texas border. This coastal area is sparsely populated, with the town of Cameron (population around 400) close to the shoreline and in the direct path. The industrial city of Lake Charles (population 80,000+) sits just 30 miles inland across flat, marshy terrain with direct water connections to the Gulf. Laura hit Lake Charles almost directly, packing winds of close to 150 miles per hour and leaving a path of destruction. Lake Charles and neighboring Westlake are home to several oil refineries and chemical plants. Oil refineries must be shut down with the approach of a storm to prevent hazardous results such as explosions, fires, and leaks. A chlorine manufacturing plant did catch fire and leak gases into the air. Laura’s storm surge was predicted to be up to 20 feet, and the warnings used words like “unsurvivable” to try to convince coastal residents to heed the evacuation warnings. It appears that: 1. Most residents did heed the warnings, and 2. Laura’s measured surge did not reach the predicted height at landfall.
NOAA’s water level gauges available on the site: NOAA Tides and Currents - Inundation Dashboard registered close to 10 feet at Calcasieu Pass. There were no operable gauges immediately east 0f the Calcasieu Pass gauge, so the actual maximum storm surge will be determined by analyzing high-water marks using field methods. This will probably reveal higher water levels to the east of the eye of the hurricane. There have been no drowning deaths reported to date, although 14 deaths have been attributed to Laura, with 8 of those due to carbon monoxide poisoning when gas-powered electrical generators were used in closed spaces. An additional 4 deaths were attributed to falling trees. There is no doubt that it could have been worse, but many harrowing tales are emerging. Perhaps the most vivid have been told by the fishermen who stayed with their boats sheltering in the bayous near Lake Charles, connected to Calcasieu Pass. These seasoned watermen feared for their lives and helped each other survive as they watched boats come apart and sink, even as they sat in port. Amazingly, everyone survived. Meanwhile, thousands of families evacuated ahead of the storm, heeding the mandatory evacuation orders.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit Louisiana hard, the state provided a system by which evacuees were provided shelter in hotel rooms, rather than congregate settings of traditional shelters. Baton Rouge and New Orleans were the two main destinations. In New Orleans, evacuees, some arriving by state-chartered buses, and others in private vehicles, had to register at a central location before being assigned a room. Phone and text numbers were made available to obtain information. Electronic message boards on the I-10 entering New Orleans displayed a number to call for assistance. By Monday after Hurricane Laura’s Thursday landfall, all rooms were filled, with more than the 9,000-person capacity in New Orleans having been reached. Other people found shelter with relatives, friends, or found their own accommodation elsewhere.
It is worth noting here that Louisiana’s emergency planning and response has had plenty of practice in recent years. In our case studies, we look at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, almost exactly 15 years before Laura. In September 2005, Hurricane Rita also hit the same communities as Laura did 15 years later. Not only have the state, parish, and municipal government Emergency Operation Plans been refined and developed over these years, but the residents of coastal Louisiana have lots of experience in planning and response on a personal and family level. This does not diminish the trauma and hardship felt when displaced from your home, not knowing if it has been destroyed or not.
In addition to helping people get out of the way of a major hurricane, what does the immediate response look like when the state EOP is put into practice? The first step is to mobilize first responders from around the state to perform search and rescue in the affected communities. This includes many units, including fire-fighters, EMS and other medical personnel, and state agencies such as the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, with boats, aircraft, and helicopters available. On a federal level, the National Guard and the Coast Guard are deployed. In addition, non-governmental organizations including the Red Cross are on the ground to distribute needed supplies to survivors.
Typically, the hurricane leaves large areas without power. This is highly predictable, so power companies deploy personnel before the storm makes landfall and stage thousands of trucks and linemen from within the state and neighboring states to secure electrical lines and begin repairing them as soon as the storm has passed. In addition, other infrastructure such as water supply and sewerage must be repaired before a community is livable again.
Private citizens also participate in the search and rescue operations, with Louisiana’s fleet of private boats pressed into service by the now-famous “Cajun Navy”, who made their debut in 2016 after the devastating floods in Baton Rouge and assisted in Houston after Hurricane Harvey’s floods in 2017. Private citizens can also help by making donations of needed items and money to charities assisting those affected by the storm. The importance of charitable and non-profit organizations at these times cannot be overstated, as it takes time for government funds and relief to be released.