Saturday marks Hurricane Laura’s 2 year anniversary

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, will mark the 2 year anniversary of Hurricane Laura making landfall in Southwest Louisiana.

The disastrous storm became a defining moment in the area’s history as one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Louisiana. It made landfall in Cameron Parish around 1 a.m. in 2020, going on to cause an estimated $19 billion in damage and 47 direct fatalities, 28 of which were in Louisiana.

Many in our area are still dealing with the aftermath of the storms due to battles with insurance companies and what local officials described as ‘woefully insufficient’ disaster relief funding. Even today, blue tarp atop homes is a common sight in many neighborhoods while schools and local landmarks still bear the scars of the storm.

But there are signs of progress as residents rebuild, businesses reopen, federal disaster grant funding continues to trickle down, and ruined buildings and schools are repaired, demolished, or repurposed.

As we look back at the storm that changed all our lives, we remember not only the pain and devastation it caused but also the hope that carried us forward and united us as a community.

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