The name Laura is derived from the Latin word Laurus, which means strength and victory. On August 27, 2020, western Louisiana was struck by a catastrophic category 4 hurricane of the same name, and it did indeed proclaim victory over the landscape. Hurricane Laura originally was a category 2 storm with winds of close to 105 mph. Approximately 24 hours before Laura made contact with land, its winds dramatically increased about 65 mph, resulting in a devastating loss of life and property.
Since August 27, reportedly 25 people had died from storm-related issues and about 400,000 people had lost power. At a time when the communities of Louisiana would normally come together to support those in need, the repercussions of a global pandemic have made this nearly impossible.
In recent news, Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall of Alexandria Louisiana explained “there is a tremendous desire and need to get services restored, but there is also a tremendous amount of work to be done.” In response to the current pandemic, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), there are multiple drive-thru recovery and food distribution centers throughout Alexandria that are COVID-19 safe and free. Telecommunication companies that serve Alexandria and the surrounding areas are working round the clock in order to get service back up and running and to provide power to those who lost it from the storm.
In addition, the Red Cross has made it clear that they are working closely alongside those affected by the hurricane and have about 1,300 people working nonstop in order to provide relief to those who need support at this time. Greater New Orleans has also created a center with resources available including The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Just like many things in 2020, hurricane Laura struck with an unexpected amount of force, causing unimaginable loss and suffering.
Article written by Miyah Falk of Winston Churchill High School
Graphic by Angelina Guhl of Richard Montgomery High School