This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/us/hurricane-delta-louisiana.html
The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Delta Live Updates: Louisiana Is Battered by Another Storm | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Hurricane Delta made landfall near Creole, La., on Friday evening, retreading ground that had been shredded by Hurricane Laura just six weeks ago. Delta was lashing Louisiana with high winds, knocking out power and driving a storm surge of over seven feet in some areas. | |
| The fast-moving storm was expected to move through the state in about 14 hours, but residents were warned to prepare for possible tornadoes and flash flooding. Southwest and south-central Louisiana may see up to 15 inches of rain through Saturday. | |
| By 7:30 p.m. Central on Friday, the storm had knocked out electricity to 217,000 customers in Louisiana and nearly 100,000 on Texas’ Gulf Coast. | |
| The National Hurricane Center predicted storm surges as high as 11 feet in Vermilion Bay, south of Lafayette, La. A storm surge warning was in effect for High Island, Texas, to the mouth of the Pearl River, near New Orleans, while a hurricane warning was issued for High Island, Texas, to Morgan City, La., the center said. | The National Hurricane Center predicted storm surges as high as 11 feet in Vermilion Bay, south of Lafayette, La. A storm surge warning was in effect for High Island, Texas, to the mouth of the Pearl River, near New Orleans, while a hurricane warning was issued for High Island, Texas, to Morgan City, La., the center said. |
| According to Phil Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University, Hurricane Delta was the 10th named storm to make landfall in the United States this year, breaking the previous record of nine storms in 1916. | According to Phil Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University, Hurricane Delta was the 10th named storm to make landfall in the United States this year, breaking the previous record of nine storms in 1916. |
| In a Friday afternoon news conference before Delta made landfall, Gov. John Bel Edwards said he hoped the Lake Charles area — which was badly damaged by Hurricane Laura — would escape the worst of the new storm but warned that hurricane-force winds would almost certainly be felt there. “We know this is going to exacerbate what is already a bad situation,” he said. | In a Friday afternoon news conference before Delta made landfall, Gov. John Bel Edwards said he hoped the Lake Charles area — which was badly damaged by Hurricane Laura — would escape the worst of the new storm but warned that hurricane-force winds would almost certainly be felt there. “We know this is going to exacerbate what is already a bad situation,” he said. |
| Delta made landfall in Cameron Parish just 20 miles east of where Hurricane Laura hit on Aug. 27 as a Category 4 storm. | |
| Delta struck a sprawling and sparsely populated area that had already been ravaged by the earlier storm. The unincorporated community of Creole had been nearly wiped out: The intersection with a gas station, restaurant and grocery store that constituted downtown had been reduced to scattered rubble. | |
| Residents across the region were exasperated and exhausted by an already brutal hurricane season. The latest storm managed to deliver a blow even before it arrived. | |
| “We just went through a major catastrophe, and in our wildest dreams, no one would have thought that six weeks later we would be going through the same thing,” Mayor Nic Hunter of Lake Charles said, adding, “People are frustrated, people are emotional, people are fatigued.” | |
| Throughout this hurricane season, Louisiana has been forced to find emergency shelter for large numbers of displaced people while taking into account the risk of spreading the coronavirus. | Throughout this hurricane season, Louisiana has been forced to find emergency shelter for large numbers of displaced people while taking into account the risk of spreading the coronavirus. |
| Mr. Edwards said that there were more than 9,500 Louisianians in shelters as of Friday afternoon, most of them evacuees from the previous storm. But he said that more than 800 evacuees were being housed because of Delta, many of them in a mega-shelter in the central Louisiana city of Alexandria. | Mr. Edwards said that there were more than 9,500 Louisianians in shelters as of Friday afternoon, most of them evacuees from the previous storm. But he said that more than 800 evacuees were being housed because of Delta, many of them in a mega-shelter in the central Louisiana city of Alexandria. |
| In Lafayette, La., many were drawing comparisons to Hurricane Laura, which passed through in late August, not just because of its path, but because they were also expecting the storm to be more of a “wind event,” with powerful gusts creating most of the damage, like with Laura. | In Lafayette, La., many were drawing comparisons to Hurricane Laura, which passed through in late August, not just because of its path, but because they were also expecting the storm to be more of a “wind event,” with powerful gusts creating most of the damage, like with Laura. |
| Still, officials said the forecasts could be trusted only so much. “The storm has been very unpredictable in its behavior,” said Mark T. Garber, the Lafayette Parish sheriff. The eastern flank of the storm, which is often called the “dirty side” of the storm as it is typically the most destructive, is projected to scrape over Lafayette, a city of about 126,000 people some 150 miles west of New Orleans. | Still, officials said the forecasts could be trusted only so much. “The storm has been very unpredictable in its behavior,” said Mark T. Garber, the Lafayette Parish sheriff. The eastern flank of the storm, which is often called the “dirty side” of the storm as it is typically the most destructive, is projected to scrape over Lafayette, a city of about 126,000 people some 150 miles west of New Orleans. |
| Into the early afternoon on Friday, even with a downpour of rain, cars were still out on the road and forming a drive-through line that wrapped around Kevin’s Seafood for fried catfish and shrimp. But most other gas stations, stores and restaurants had already shut down, and before long, the traffic largely vanished from many streets. | Into the early afternoon on Friday, even with a downpour of rain, cars were still out on the road and forming a drive-through line that wrapped around Kevin’s Seafood for fried catfish and shrimp. But most other gas stations, stores and restaurants had already shut down, and before long, the traffic largely vanished from many streets. |
| There were no hotel rooms left in the city, officials said, so people evacuating from other communities in the path of the storm needed to bunk with relatives or friends or travel farther. For those remaining in the city, officials urged them to stay at home. | There were no hotel rooms left in the city, officials said, so people evacuating from other communities in the path of the storm needed to bunk with relatives or friends or travel farther. For those remaining in the city, officials urged them to stay at home. |
| “We will prepare for the worst here locally,” Joshua S. Guillory, the Lafayette mayor-president, said, “but pray for the best.” | “We will prepare for the worst here locally,” Joshua S. Guillory, the Lafayette mayor-president, said, “but pray for the best.” |
| In nearby Rayne, a city of about 8,000 people, windows had been boarded up and many had already fueled up their generators, hunkering down ahead of the storm. | In nearby Rayne, a city of about 8,000 people, windows had been boarded up and many had already fueled up their generators, hunkering down ahead of the storm. |
| But not everything was quiet yet. A woman still went for a run, jogging along a two-lane highway through the heavy rainfall that had already started. Others were clearing out their workshops. | But not everything was quiet yet. A woman still went for a run, jogging along a two-lane highway through the heavy rainfall that had already started. Others were clearing out their workshops. |
| Marcus Carmouche, 30, set out on Friday morning with the hope of finding a generator. He had no luck. Instead, he came to the store with his cousin, who gathered up armfuls of bags of chips. | Marcus Carmouche, 30, set out on Friday morning with the hope of finding a generator. He had no luck. Instead, he came to the store with his cousin, who gathered up armfuls of bags of chips. |
| He, like others in Rayne, were not all that perturbed. “It isn’t going to do nothing but tear out a few trees and knock power lines down,” he said, noting that the last storm, Hurricane Laura, had left his family without power for about a day. | He, like others in Rayne, were not all that perturbed. “It isn’t going to do nothing but tear out a few trees and knock power lines down,” he said, noting that the last storm, Hurricane Laura, had left his family without power for about a day. |
| In the United States, along a wide swath of the northern Gulf Coast, which was heavily battered by Laura in late August and Sally in September, life is still not back to normal. Those storms had caused extensive property damage and several deaths. | In the United States, along a wide swath of the northern Gulf Coast, which was heavily battered by Laura in late August and Sally in September, life is still not back to normal. Those storms had caused extensive property damage and several deaths. |
| Hurricane Delta, the 25th named storm of the busy 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, could end up strafing Lake Charles, La., a city still recovering from Laura. Videos on social media showed that homes in the city damaged from Hurricane Laura still had not been repaired as Delta approached on Friday. | Hurricane Delta, the 25th named storm of the busy 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, could end up strafing Lake Charles, La., a city still recovering from Laura. Videos on social media showed that homes in the city damaged from Hurricane Laura still had not been repaired as Delta approached on Friday. |
| Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser of Louisiana said on CNN on Friday that Delta was another “blow” for the region after it was battered by Hurricane Laura. There are still about 10,000 people staying in hotels and shelters in the area, Mr. Nungesser said, adding that climate change has undoubtedly affected hurricane season. “They’re stronger, we’re seeing more of them and they’re having a greater impact,” he said. | Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser of Louisiana said on CNN on Friday that Delta was another “blow” for the region after it was battered by Hurricane Laura. There are still about 10,000 people staying in hotels and shelters in the area, Mr. Nungesser said, adding that climate change has undoubtedly affected hurricane season. “They’re stronger, we’re seeing more of them and they’re having a greater impact,” he said. |
| Mr. Hunter, the mayor of Lake Charles, said in an interview on Friday that he was very concerned about the approaching storm, particularly since the city was still attempting to repair much of the destruction caused by the August hurricane. The community, he said, “is still pretty battered and we are still reeling from Hurricane Laura.” | Mr. Hunter, the mayor of Lake Charles, said in an interview on Friday that he was very concerned about the approaching storm, particularly since the city was still attempting to repair much of the destruction caused by the August hurricane. The community, he said, “is still pretty battered and we are still reeling from Hurricane Laura.” |
| More people have now evacuated the city than they did during Laura, he said, adding that for Lake Charles, the recovery from both storms will take months if not years. | More people have now evacuated the city than they did during Laura, he said, adding that for Lake Charles, the recovery from both storms will take months if not years. |
| Many of the blue tarps that cover damaged homes across the area may soon be whipped away by the wind, said Bryan C. Beam, the administrator of Calcasieu Parish, whose seat is Lake Charles. The debris along the roadsides may turn into flying projectiles. The choked-up drainage canals may overflow, creating new and dangerous flood patterns. | Many of the blue tarps that cover damaged homes across the area may soon be whipped away by the wind, said Bryan C. Beam, the administrator of Calcasieu Parish, whose seat is Lake Charles. The debris along the roadsides may turn into flying projectiles. The choked-up drainage canals may overflow, creating new and dangerous flood patterns. |
| Electricity was finally restored in full last week — but homes could again be plunged into darkness, he said. | Electricity was finally restored in full last week — but homes could again be plunged into darkness, he said. |
| “It’s like a boxer going in the ring a few weeks later after getting pounded,” Mr. Beam said. “You can only take so much in a short period of time. We’re a very resilient people. But it’s very tough right now.” | “It’s like a boxer going in the ring a few weeks later after getting pounded,” Mr. Beam said. “You can only take so much in a short period of time. We’re a very resilient people. But it’s very tough right now.” |
| Hurricane Delta has already hit southeastern Mexico near the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula, making landfall there early Wednesday. The storm knocked out power, felled trees, shattered windows, and caused scattered flooding in cities and towns along the Caribbean coast. But regional and federal officials said they had received no reports of deaths. | Hurricane Delta has already hit southeastern Mexico near the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula, making landfall there early Wednesday. The storm knocked out power, felled trees, shattered windows, and caused scattered flooding in cities and towns along the Caribbean coast. But regional and federal officials said they had received no reports of deaths. |
| Visitors and residents of the region breathed a sigh of relief that the storm, which had grown to a Category 4 before weakening, had delivered a lesser punch than many there had anticipated. | Visitors and residents of the region breathed a sigh of relief that the storm, which had grown to a Category 4 before weakening, had delivered a lesser punch than many there had anticipated. |
| Last month, meteorologists ran out of names after a storm named Wilfred formed in the Atlantic. Subtropical storm Alpha, the first of the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet, formed quickly thereafter, becoming the 22nd named storm since May. | Last month, meteorologists ran out of names after a storm named Wilfred formed in the Atlantic. Subtropical storm Alpha, the first of the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet, formed quickly thereafter, becoming the 22nd named storm since May. |
| Louisiana has been in the path of six major storms since June, and along with the wildfires in the West, they have brought fresh attention to the effects of climate change, which has likely contributed to the intensity of the storms and the persistence and size of the fires. | Louisiana has been in the path of six major storms since June, and along with the wildfires in the West, they have brought fresh attention to the effects of climate change, which has likely contributed to the intensity of the storms and the persistence and size of the fires. |
| The possibility that the climate crisis may have moved the United States into a troubling new era of incessant catastrophe was discussed, for a few minutes, during Wednesday’s vice-presidential debate, in which Vice President Mike Pence argued that “there are no more hurricanes today than there were 100 years ago.” | The possibility that the climate crisis may have moved the United States into a troubling new era of incessant catastrophe was discussed, for a few minutes, during Wednesday’s vice-presidential debate, in which Vice President Mike Pence argued that “there are no more hurricanes today than there were 100 years ago.” |
| On Thursday, Suzana J. Camargo, a research professor in the division of ocean and climate physics at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said that judging hurricane seasons by the mere number of storms misses the point. Besides the fact that the actual number of storms could not be precisely tallied before the satellite era, “just talking about numbers is a little naïve,” she said, because of the issues of storm intensity, rainfall and surge. | On Thursday, Suzana J. Camargo, a research professor in the division of ocean and climate physics at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said that judging hurricane seasons by the mere number of storms misses the point. Besides the fact that the actual number of storms could not be precisely tallied before the satellite era, “just talking about numbers is a little naïve,” she said, because of the issues of storm intensity, rainfall and surge. |
| Indeed, many scientists say that several aspects of climate change are making storms more destructive. James P. Kossin, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, called the discussion of the number of storms a “red herring” since the trend toward more destructive storms is the more important factor. Climate change may even be reducing the number of weak storms through factors like increased wind shear. | Indeed, many scientists say that several aspects of climate change are making storms more destructive. James P. Kossin, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, called the discussion of the number of storms a “red herring” since the trend toward more destructive storms is the more important factor. Climate change may even be reducing the number of weak storms through factors like increased wind shear. |
| Reporting was contributed by Chelsea Brasted, Richard Fausset, Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, Rick Rojas, John Schwartz, Derrick Bryson Taylor and Will Wright | Reporting was contributed by Chelsea Brasted, Richard Fausset, Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, Rick Rojas, John Schwartz, Derrick Bryson Taylor and Will Wright |