LAKE CHARLES, La. – Under a mandatory evacuation order, many in Lake Charles and across Calcasieu Parish are preparing to head out because of Hurricane Delta.
“My wife is getting worried about the windows. So we were trying to put some plywood on them to keep them safe,” said Lake Charles resident Stephen Guillory.
Parish leaders issued the evacuation order days before the storm’s landfall to help keep residents safe.
“Even if we just get side-swiped at this point, we are still going to possibly have tropical storm winds that are going to blow the debris around and make conditions unsafe for us,” said Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso.
For Lake Charles residents like Kerry Anderson, evacuating is an all too frequent occurrence. Her home was badly damaged during Hurricane Laura six weeks ago and she’s since been renting a place in Baton Rouge. She came back home to gather the last of what she could before Delta hits.
“It’s just a lot. Emotionally, I think everybody’s just battered and worn down right now,” Anderson said.
With recovery from Hurricane Laura barely underway, many living in Charles struggle to understand yet another hurricane could be headed their way.
”I think really the word is disbelief. Like how could this be happening again?" Anderson said.