Laura, "extremely dangerous" hurricane, arrives in Louisiana

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5 mins

The monster hurricane Laura, considered by meteorologists as "extremely dangerous", since it is approaching category 5, the highest on the intensity scale, affects Louisiana. Its inhabitants and those of neighboring Texas, which will be the next affected, have prepared for its arrival.

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Carrying winds of up to 240 km / h, Laura could cause " deadly  " and potentially "  catastrophic  " rising waters  , extreme winds, as well as "  flash floods,  " the National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned. .

The hurricane is expected to make landfall this Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning. If he retains this power while approaching the coast, Laura will be among the 13 strongest storms to hit the United States. The NHC says, however, that the system should weaken quickly upon entering the land.

“  Hurricane Laura is very dangerous and is intensifying rapidly. Listen to local officials. We are with you  ! President Donald Trump tweeted.

Hurricane Laura is a very dangerous and rapidly intensifying hurricane. My Administration remains fully engaged with state & local emergency managers to continue preparing and assisting the great people Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Listen to local officials. We are with you! pic.twitter.com/x0JoijLUpb

Vice President Mike Pence, speaking at the Republican convention, urged those concerned to "  heed national and local authorities  ". “  My prayers are with you tonight. Our government is working in close collaboration with the authorities of the states that will be affected,  ”he added.

To the families & communities in the path of #HurricaneLaura: pic.twitter.com/AKg4YR1rCu

The National Guard said it has mobilized more than a thousand members in Texas to help meet the needs, including 20 planes and more than 15 teams tasked with organizing shelters.

The eye of the hurricane was at 2 a.m. GMT 90 miles south of the coastal town of Lake Charles, Louisiana, known for its major oil refining centers. Its inhabitants boarded coaches after receiving a mandatory evacuation order due to the risk of flooding.

Among the cities potentially in the path of the cyclone and placed under mandatory evacuation orders were Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas, which already suffered heavy damage from Hurricane Harvey three years ago.

15 years after Katrina

"  You only have a few hours to prepare and evacuate,  " Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards warned on Wednesday on Twitter. His state remains traumatized by Katrina, a hurricane of category 5, the highest, which had flooded 80% of the city of New Orleans and left a thousand dead, 15 years ago almost to the day.

You only have a few hours to prepare and evacuate for #HurricaneLaura. Wherever you are by noon is where you'll have to ride out the storm. Be smart and be safe. #lagov #lawx #Laura pic.twitter.com/oAAkwGQsC6

In the Old French Square, the historic center of New Orleans emptied of its tourists, sandbags were piled up in front of the doorsteps, and the windows of buildings of colonial architecture were protected by plywood panels.

25 dead in the Dominican Republic

In neighboring Texas, already struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic, Governor Greg Abbott has urged residents to take shelter. "  Your belongings can be replaced, not your life,  " he warned the Weather Channel.

In Galveston, the site of a historic hurricane in 1900 that killed between 8,000 and 12,000 people, evacuation operations intensified and the school district canceled classes until Friday.

The hurricane season in the Atlantic, which officially lasts from June 1 to November 30, promises to be particularly intense this year. The National Hurricane Center expects 25 lows. Laura is already the twelfth. It has already caused major floods in Haiti and the Dominican Republic resulting in the death of 25 people.

► To read also: Haiti: first deadly toll of tropical storm Laura

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