Louisiana Parish Sheriff Drops Dire Warning, as Hurricane Laura Made Landfall Overnight

AP featured image — FILE – In this Sept. 26, 2017 file photo, Nestor Serrano walks on the upstairs floor of his home, where the walls were blown off, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. More than a year after Hurricane Maria caught Puerto Rico’s government wildly unprepared, officials acknowledge they still haven’t come up with a plan to cope with the next such disaster and it’s not clear when they will. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Just a day ago, the Heartland Institute wrote in a RedState diary on how the mainstream media has already reported dishonestly on the two, Gulf of Mexico hurricanes that have either made landfall or are expected to this week. They were blaring stories claiming this would be the first time the U.S. has been hit by two, big storms simultaneously. It turns out that even the most cursory search yields many, many instances of two hurricanes hitting the U.S. mainland back to back.

But as coverage of Hurricane Laura — which made landfall in Louisiana overnight — has shown, even one is capable of considerable damage.

Things are picking up in Lake Charles, as evidenced by a huge gust hitting Stephanie Abrams during her live shot on The Weather Channel #HurricaneLaura #LAwx pic.twitter.com/jWkqpSfLic

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 27, 2020

https://twitter.com/WxBrenn/status/1298867018947530752?s=03

As with tornadoes (those of us who grew up in the Midwest know that sound), you could hear the hurricane’s winds wailing like a furious banshee:

🔊🔊🔊 SOUND UP

Listen to the wind inside this casino in Lake Charles as Hurricane Laura rips across the region with reports of winds over 120 mph! We're live with team coverage as the storm continues to impact the coastline and move inland. #HurricaneLaura #LAwx pic.twitter.com/1KQjuAiuCk

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 27, 2020

Luckily, preparations have been happening for days…

…starting with the Louisiana National Guard using massive sandbags to shore up levees on Sunday:

Pictures of the Louisiana National Guard installing large sandbags on the Gulf side of the levee in Grand Isle. TS Cristobal in June caused a lot of erosion, exposing the burrito levee which needs to be reinforced as Marco & Laura head our way. ⁦ Courtesy Ricky Templet. pic.twitter.com/IkaCsLivTm

— Paul Murphy (@PMurphyWWL) August 23, 2020

It’s all hands on deck; National Guard units from several states have been mobilized to LA:

#BREAKING @GovernorKayIvey has approved the Alabama National Guard to send four Black Hawk helicopters to Louisiana tomorrow morning to help with hurricane impact. #alpolitics

— Lydia Nusbaum (@LydiaNusbaum) August 26, 2020

National Guard troops in Texas and Louisiana busy preparing for Hurricane Laura https://t.co/RCvneYlXY2

— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) August 26, 2020

Reporter Kayla Green drew on facts about previous storms to show this one might put Cameron and Vermilion parishes in line for a world of hurt:

In 2005, Hurricane Rita hit Louisiana as a Category 3. Below are photos my uncle took on Sept 28, 2005 when he assessed the damages in Cameron / Vermilion Parish

Hurricane Laura looks like it'll remain a Category 4 when it makes landfall tomorrow morning. pic.twitter.com/k605BElH3W

— Kayla Green (@DJKilogram) August 26, 2020

And, like with all natural disasters with some forewarning, state and county officials aren’t being coy about letting those who decided not to evacuate that they’re at a very real risk of losing their lives.

Parts of of I-10 closed, storm surge flooding underway, National Guard general says have tools ready to cut your way out of your attic. Here's the latest on Hurricane Laura: https://t.co/71jscdnm46

— Jan Wesner Childs (@jantypes) August 27, 2020

The Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office issued a mandatory evacuation and grim warning to residents choosing to ride out Hurricane Laura rather than evacuate. https://t.co/PV6Dz4rIrl

— FOX26Houston (@FOX26Houston) August 27, 2020

One news reporter shared the frightening instructions the Vermilion parish Sheriff’s Office issued:

“[T]he darkest hurricane coverage I’ve read: Vermilion sheriff tells those staying in path of Hurricane Laura: ‘Write your name…put it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket'”

the darkest hurricane coverage I’ve read: Vermilion sheriff tells those staying in path of Hurricane Laura: 'Write your name…put it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket' https://t.co/KMmsNuZZwv

— Cerise Castle (@cerisecastle) August 27, 2020

WSDU reported on the officials’ dire warning. In a Facebook post which began by listing the areas in Vermilion parish under a mandatory evacuation order, there was this:

Those choosing to stay and face this very dangerous storm must understand that rescue efforts cannot and will not begin until after storm and surge has passed and it is safe to do so. Please evacuate, and if you choose to stay and we can’t get to you, write your name, address, social security number and next of kin and put it a Ziploc bag in your pocket. Praying that it does not come to this.

But with just about two months until the general election, like they did after Hurricane Maria’s pummeling of Puerto Rico in September 2017, it’s already possible to see the traces of a new conspiracy forming in the media, which seems almost gleeful to pin any deaths, destruction, and general misery on Donald Trump.

I have friends and family in Laura's path.
Please join me in praying for the safety of anyone facing this storm.

— ₿ Michelle Ray ₿ (@RagnarsMate) August 27, 2020

Join me and my friend in praying for everyone in the path of these dangerous storms in the coming days.