The governor of Louisiana visited Lake Charles yesterday, August 26, to remind residents of the predicted storms. Governor John Bel visited the region to review the recovery measures put in place one year since Hurricane Laura hit the city. The storm destroyed casinos, businesses, and homes last year in August.
According to KLFY-TV, the state has requested the federal government to grant $3 billion for recovery from Hurricane Laura. According to the government, Louisiana might receive the money a month from now. The Advocate newspaper reported that the governor toured southwestern Louisiana with a FEMA administrator named Deanne Criswell.
The anniversary of Hurricane Laura comes just when another storm is brewing in the Caribbean. At this time, the storm is in its early stages but might develop into a hurricane by the time it takes course towards northward and into the Gulf of Mexico.
At the moment, the storm is a tropical depression nine. It is expected to hit the coastline of south Louisiana on Sunday or Monday near Lafayette.
During his visit, Edward requested Louisians to prepare for the upcoming storm. He said the storm is already on Lake Charles and might gain momentum as it reaches land. The governor believes it will be a major hurricane like it was seen last year.
Hurricane Laura Was a Destructive Storm
On August 27, 2020, category 4 Hurricane Laura stormed south of Lake Charles. It features winds of 150 mph, and it created a nine-foot storm. It was the biggest storm to hit Louisiana since 1856. It left massive destruction and deaths. Several weeks later, another storm hit the region.
During the hurricane, a riverboat casino, Isle of Capri, was unmoored and crashed to the 1-10 bridge. Luckily, there was no one in the riverboat; hence no one was hurt.
Isle of Capri Casino is transforming into a land-based casino named Horseshoe Casino Lake Charles. The casino is slated to open before next year ends. The casino is changing under the 2018 Louisiana law that allows riverboat casinos to move their property several miles from the shores.
The two hurricanes in Louisiana last year caused some of the most severe destruction. A similarly destructive storm also hit Mississippi last year.
The Destruction Led To Closure of Casinos
Last year’s hurricane led to the closure of several casinos in Louisiana. But that was just the beginning. This year, hurricanes started on June 1 and are predicted to last until November 30, 2021. In fact, 18 storms are projected to mature in the Atlantic basin. Five of the eighteen are predicted to be major storms.
Several storms have already hit various states. For example, one hurricane, Tropical Storm Elsa, hit North Florida in July 2021. It led to the closure of the Tampa Bay Downs racetrack poker room and racebook.
On Sunday, another storm hit southern New England. Tropical Storm Henri slammed into the region, forcing the closure of casinos in the area.
A storm changes its status to a hurricane when it exceeds a wind speed of 74 mph. Henri had wind of 75 mph which later decreased to 70 mph at landfall. For now, we Louisians have to comply with the governor’s urge to protect themselves against possible storms.
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