Hurricane Laura made landfall overnight and has been punishing the Gulf Coast ever since. One of the first coastal cities hit was Lake Charles in Louisiana, where images of torn-off roofs, damaged buildings, and downed power lines were common, reports the Washington Post.
- TV station KHOU is compiling videos from Lake Charles at the peak of the storm, including here, here, and here.
- The city's convention center suffered heavy damage, reports KFDM, which has photos.
- Elsewhere, Gov. John Bel Edwards reported the first fatality: A 14-year-old girl was killed when a tree fell on her house in Leesville, reports the AP.
- Laura came ashore as a Category 4 storm with winds reaching 150mph. It was later downgraded to a Category 2, per NBC News. Even people inland in eastern Texas and western Louisiana are expected to feel the brunt.
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