Prosecutors say Khalia Douglas posted stories on her Instagram with captions flat out incriminating her saying: “SBA is back open. $350 for method. Yes, I’m doing applications $100 upfront & $2k when your money hits. You’ll need a real bank account.”

Last year’s Hurricane Laura, slamming into the Lake Charles area at 1am, prompted the following viewer question:

Phil Klotzbach, a researcher and hurricane expert at Colorado State University, has issued his July updated forecast for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season Thursday. He’s predicting another busy season.

Nine months after two back-to-back hurricanes hammered their towns, scores of coastal Louisiana residents are still struggling to recover.

– As southwest Louisiana recovers from the back-to-back hurricanes that hammered the region this year, signs of progress compete with lingering evidence of mass destruction. Hurricane Laura roared ashore in southwestern Louisiana on Aug. 27 as a Category 4 storm just south of Lake Charles. According to Louisiana government figures, nearly 47,000 homes were damaged by Hurricane Laura, with about 16,000 of those in need of major repairs. The bulk of those homes are in Calcasieu Parish, home to the state's fifth-largest city, Lake Charles, with 80,000 residents. A Facebook group set up after Hurricane Laura has become a lifeline for struggling residents.

HOUSTON – Sheletta Brundidge and her family are driving from Minnesota to Lake Charles, Louisiana to try and put smiles on the faces of children impacted by the recent hurricanes. But like many Houstonians, she has strong family ties to Lake Charles. That’s Kimberly’s mother, along with my uncle Charles. She said she expects to be in Lake Charles by Friday morning. The book and toy giveaway will take place at the Central Library located at 301 Claude Street at 9 am.

Blue tarps cover houses in the aftermath of Hurricane Delta, Saturday Oct. 10, 2020, in Iowa, La. – Michele Vincent’s home was largely intact in spite of hurricanes Laura and Delta. Coastal Cameron Parish had about 9,800 residents when Hurricane Rita hit in 2005. “Leave Cameron Parish and go into Calcasieu it's bad there too. They were the only red lights we had in Cameron Parish.

A 70-year-old woman in Iberia Parish died in a fire likely caused by a natural gas leak following damage from Hurricane Delta, the Louisiana Department of Health said Sunday. Clair Hebert Marceaux lost her home in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, during Hurricane Laura and said the community was hard at work on rebuilding when Delta struck. “We can’t lose our momentum,” she said, though she added there was “utter devastation” in the area. Earnestine and Milton Wesley had decided to ride out Delta in their Lake Charles home, damaged by Laura. “And with God’s help we made it.”After blowing ashore, Delta moved over Lake Charles, a city where Laura damaged nearly every home and building.

“When the wind shifted, after that eye passed we heard the tree hit the roof,” said resident Lisa Bourg. Considering it held up against Hurricane Laura, they never imagined it would come down during Delta. I think Laura started it all and Delta finished it,” she said. A place that was already in the process of recovering from Laura, starting all over again because of Delta. "They say that the difference between Delta and Laura is the latter was more of a wind event.

HOUSTON – Several people from Louisiana evacuated to Texas before and after Hurricane Delta stormed across the region. Many made the long trip to Houston to get out of harm’s way. One such family was Justin Meche and his 1-year-old son Bryson. They arrived Saturday to an RV resort in south Houston because they had nowhere else to go. A GoFundMe page has since been set up to help the family in the rebuilding process.

Marcus Peterson walks past a downed tree in his yard after Hurricane Delta moved through, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, in Jennings, La. It then moved over Lake Charles, a city where Hurricane Laura damaged nearly every home and building in late August. While Delta was a weaker storm than Category 4 Laura, it brought significantly more flooding, Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said. Forecasters warned that heavy rain, storm surges and flash floods continued to pose dangers in areas from Texas to Mississippi. They arrived back in Lake Charles last weekend, got a new roof on Monday and had to evacuate again Thursday.

After Hurricane Delta made landfall Friday evening as a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 mph near Creole, Louisiana, it has continually weakened overnight and through this morning and as of 10am become a depression. Delta weakens to a depression (KPRC)The biggest threat is still rain with 2-4 inches likely along its path with some isolated amounts possible as much as 6-10 inches for the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys. Delta picks up speed toward the northeast (KPRC)WindCameron and Lake Charles, Louisiana, which took a direct hit from Hurricane Laura, stayed on the “clean” side of Delta -- west of the eye. Compared to Laura, Delta is not as strong and not as well-organized. Delta made landfall near Creole Louisiana, only about 12 miles to the east of the track of Hurricane Laura six weeks earlier.

HOUSTON – We’ve assembled a list of live webcams from across the Gulf Coast so you can keep track of the conditions as Hurricane Laura approaches. In addition to the webcams listed below, you can follow any of our livestream offerings throughout the day at Click2Houston.com/watchlive. KPRC 2 is not responsible for the video provided by any of the cameras listed below. As with any hurricane, the feed from the cameras may be interrupted during bad weather. GalvestonPort NechesGrand Isle Beach, LouisianaLake Charles, Louisiana area (powered by KPLC-TV)L’auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, LouisianaLake Arthur, LouisianaLouisiana DOT traffic camerasLafayette, Louisiana

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. EDT, and provided by NOAA, shows Hurricane Delta in the Gulf of Mexico. – Ripping tarps from already damaged roofs and scattering debris piled by roadsides, Hurricane Delta inflicted a new round of destruction on Louisiana as it struck communities still reeling after Hurricane Laura took a similar path just six weeks earlier. Delta's reach stretched as far west as Galveston, Texas, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from where the storm struck Louisiana. Tropical Storm Marco fizzled as it hit the southeast Louisiana tip just three days before Laura struck. “The wind is much worse than what Hurricane Laura brought,” Gove said in a message on Twitter.

She was one of the very few left in Cameron, Louisiana whose home wasn’t badly damaged or completely wiped out during Hurricane Laura just six weeks ago. Bolivar Peninsula prepare for Hurricane DeltaRoy James has lived on the Bolivar Peninsula for over a year, and he’s prepared for Delta. People along the coast have already experienced storm surge from Laura and Tropical Storm Beta. Many Galveston County residents were also concerned about those in southwest Louisiana, who will be hit with their second major storm in less than two months. Many Louisianans are still displaced and struggling to start the long process of recovery as they prepare for another hit from Delta.

Louisiana residents still recovering from the devastation of a powerful hurricane less than two months ago braced for another hit as Hurricane Delta steamed north through the Gulf on Thursday after swiping Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula. The projected path included the southwest area of Louisiana where Category 4 Hurricane Laura made landfall less than two months ago. Randazzo watched pieces of one of his restaurants, Panorama Music House, fly past a meteorologist’s car on a Facebook Live video during Hurricane Laura. The most recent forecast for Hurricane Delta has the storm making landfall “almost precisely” where Hurricane Laura struck — a region where homes and electrical infrastructure are still damaged, Edwards said in a radio interview. New Orleans, well to the east of the projected landfall area, was expected to escape the worst of Hurricane Delta.

The storm being watched Wednesday was Hurricane Delta, the 25th named storm of the Atlantic's unprecedented hurricane season. Forecasts placed most of Louisiana within Delta's path, with the latest National Hurricane Center estimating landfall in the state on Friday. Along with getting hit by Hurricane Laura and escaping Hurricane Sally, Louisiana saw heavy flooding June 7 from Tropical Storm Cristobal. Tropical Storm Beta prompted tropical storm warnings in mid-September as it slowly crawled up the northeast Texas coast. “Not seeing any signs of any additional tropical weather in the extended which is OK with us because we are SO DONE with Hurricane Season 2020,” they wrote.

HOUSTON – The process of rebuilding and cleaning up from Hurricane Laura is something that will take a lot more time. Helping Hurricane Laura VictimsFrom cleanup to rebuilding and serving food, there are several organizations on the ground working daily in Louisiana to help hurricane victims rebuild. Houston Food BankThe Houston Food Bank is part of a larger network of food banks with several close to the disaster zone in Louisiana. Mercy ChefsMercy Chefs was founded after Hurricane Katrina to provide meals to those affected by the storm. You can help provide someone with a night stay by donating online.

HOUSTON – As Tropical Storm Beta neared the Texas coast Monday, the biggest unknown was how much rainfall it could produce in areas that have already seen their share of damaging weather during a busy hurricane season. Rain from Beta was already coming down Monday in the Houston area. Earlier predictions of up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) in some areas were downgraded Monday to up to 15 inches (38 centimeters). Forecasters and officials reassured residents Beta was not expected to be another Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm Imelda. Harvey in 2017 dumped more than 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain on Houston, causing $125 billion in damage in Texas.

Forecasters said Beta was not expected to bring the same amount of rainfall that Texas experienced during either Hurricane Harvey in 2017 or Tropical Storm Imelda last year. The first rain bands from Beta reached the Texas coast on Sunday, but the heaviest rain wasn't expected to arrive until Monday into Tuesday. If the system makes landfall in Texas, it would be the ninth named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. in 2020. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda. Wilfred, which had been a tropical storm, weakened to a tropical depression earlier Sunday.

KATY – Hurricane Laura made landfall in southwest Louisiana nearly three weeks ago, and people there are still living in miserable conditions. On Thursday, Chick-fil-A provided dinner to evacuees staying at the Residence Inn Marriott Hotel in Katy. In the past three weeks, Austin has been paying about $100 dollars a night at the Residence Inn Marriott in Katy. The trio and countless other volunteers from one Katy neighborhood have delivered over a thousand meals in two weeks to about 300 evacuees. If you would like to know more about the Facebook Group in Katy helping evacuees, click here.

– Hurricane Laura made landfall in southwest Louisiana nearly three weeks ago. The category-four storm tied the record as the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in Louisiana. While meteorologists forecasted a 15- to 20-foot storm surge from Laura. National Weather Service meteorologist Jeffry Evans was part of a team that conducted a damage assessment to verify the storm surge in the region. “It’s what they call an unsurvivable storm surge," said Evans.

HOUSTON – As Hurricane Laura barreled toward the Gulf Coast a few weeks ago, in and around Houston, plants and refineries scrambled to shut down. During the shutdown and restart process surrounding Hurricane Laura, energy companies reported to TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) that 8 million pounds of emissions were released in Harris, Brazoria, Jefferson and Orange counties. There’s some opinion there but here’s a fact:During that exact same period that refineries shut down for Hurricane Laura, the state of Texas unplugged its air quality monitors in the storm’s path. Our state’s version of the Environmental Protection Agency is the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). See what TCEQ did in response to Hurricane Laura.

The best buddies from Louisiana were seperated when they were rescued after Hurricane Laura. Now, they’re finally back together. Whisper, a hearing-impaired Shepard mix, was one of several dogs and cats brought to the Houston SPCA after Laura. When a team from the SPCA looked at the pooch’s paperwork, they saw she was already bonded to another dog named Sassy. Unfortunately, Sassy had been taken to a rescue in Fort Worth, so the Houston SPCA got to work to reunite the pair.

HOUSTON – The Houston SPCA rescued nearly 100 animals from Louisiana after Hurricane Laura, nearly half of which were cats and kittens. These felines, along with other animals, were rescued from Lake Charles after Hurricane Laura devastated the area, according to the HSPCA. Click through the gallery above to see some of the cats and kittens looking for homes. For a complete list of available pets, visit the HSPCA website. More pets are added to the website daily, so check back regularly to find the pet perfect for you.

HOUSTON – More than 115 employees at Gulfgate Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram braved the heat Thursday to pack two large trucks full of relief supplies for the people of Lake Charles, Louisiana. “We had to do this, it’s important," said James Davis, President of Gulfgate Dodge. Managers of the project decided that Davis would pay to fill one truck and the employees would fill the other. Tracy Faultry is one of the people who helped organize the effort. “It looked like a bomb went off in her neighborhood, everything is destroyed," Faultry said.

HOUSTON – Volunteers spent Thursday sorting and boxing the final round of recovery supplies donated at the George R. Brown Convention Center to ship to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Mayor Turner formed the Houston Paying it Forward Hurricane Laura support drive in partnership with The Mayor’s Health Equity Response (H.E.R.) Task Force volunteers spent two weeks collecting critically needed supplies to help storm survivors recover. “After Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, people from all over the country sent us supplies,” Community Relations Director and H.E.R. “Mayor Turner has given us an opportunity to pay it forward by organizing donation drives after major storms hit other areas of the country.

HOUSTON The Houston Astros Foundation will host an emergency supply drive Saturday to help distribute donated items to Hurricane Laura victims. The supply drive will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The donated items will go to the Catholic Charities of Lake Charles and will be distributed to those impacted by the hurricane. The no-touch drive will also accept donations via curbside drop off on Crawford Street at the Left Field Entrance adjacent to Minute Maid Park. According to a news release, the Astros mascot Orbit and the Astros Shooting Stars will be on hand for the event.

HOUSTON – By Wednesday evening, employees at Gallery Furniture had packed a second truck of bottled water, diapers, toilet paper and other must-haves filled for those affected by Hurricane Laura in Texas and Louisiana. The North Freeway location serves as a drop-off location for the Houston’s Hurricane Laura Relief Fund. “The products will be on the way to Lake Charles, Cameron and Orange starting tomorrow,” said Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale. Donation sites at the George R. Brown Convention Center and Gallery Furniture will be open from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.Kroger Stores have collection boxes at each of its locations. George R. Brown Convention CenterGround-level, Hall D off Chartres Street and Walker Street1001 Avenida de las Americas DriveHouston, Texas 77010Gallery Furniture6006 North FreewayHouston, Texas 77076A-Rocket Moving & Storage3401 Corder StreetHouston, TX, 77021Requested supplies

NEW ORLEANS Hurricane Laura caused significant damage at a site holding about 30% of the nations store of emergency crude oil, but three other sites still have plenty of petroleum, U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said Wednesday. The damaged Strategic Petroleum Reserve site in West Hackberry, Louisiana, holds nearly 8.2 billion gallons (31 billion liters) of crude oil in 21 huge caverns deep underground. Two sites in Louisiana and two in Texas currently hold about 27.2 billion gallons (103 billion liters) of crude. The oil is held in caverns hollowed out of salt domes mountainous salt deposits that are almost entirely underground. Together, they can hold nearly 30 billion gallons (113.6 billion liters) of oil.

However, a project to protect Galveston Bay down to San Luis pass from storm surge is still in the planning stages. He and his colleagues have also recently proposed a plan to help mitigate storm surge in the bay. Storm surge removed or redistributed sand and dune areas along the entire beachfront on Galveston Island. Entergys response:ETI regularly inspects the transmission system and repairs and replaces components in order to keep the system in good working order. This enhanced the current transmission infrastructure with more modern and efficient technology to better serve the region.

– Recovery Houston volunteers made their way to Lake Charles, Louisiana to help those who were hardest hit by Hurricane Laura. That event became the first chapter of the Recovery Houston organization, founded by Creech. Creech KPRC 2’s coverage of Recovery Houston was recognized by President Barack Obama as one of his most memorable humanitarian stories of 2017. When Hurricane Laura hit, Creech knew Recovery Houston had to get involved. “I woke up this morning feeling really good that I was able to help somebody,” Bradley Dennison, a Recovery Houston volunteer said.

Like many others that evacuated to Houston following Hurricane Laura, they checked into local hotels with the costs covered by the state through Friday. If families need help with transportation, the Red Cross can help them get there. The TDEM said displaced families that still need help need to call a hotline number so that everything can be processed. ”We do thank Houston. I do thank Texas.

HOUSTON – Fort Bend County is hosting a donation drive at 14 faith centers to assist the communities impacted by Hurricane Laura. Among items that will be accepted are nonperishable food, bottled water, personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies. Residents are invited to drop off donations at one of the participating faith centers between Sept. 3-6. “We are going to do everything we can to support those affected by Hurricane Laura,” said Fort Bend County Judge KP George. “Our county was fortunate enough to not experience the catastrophic impact of hurricanes last week.

BAYTOWN, Texas – Harris County is rallying to help our neighbors to the east. Donations are being sent to help families still feeling the impact of Hurricane Laura. It’s a small way to repay the help sent not too long ago when Southeast Texas was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. The sheriff says they plan to help as many people as they can. Harris County officials plan to do another collection next week.

Some key takeaways of the immediate analysis of Laura's effects have emerged:IT WILL TAKE MONTHS TO KNOW EFFECTS:Scientists say some coastal impact from Hurricane Laura is inevitable. Bren Haase, who heads the states Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, said the eastern Cameron shoreline got pounded pretty hard." SALINITY'S A PROBLEMAnother question is how long storm surge waters sit before eventually draining away. Laura took a slight jog to the East just before making landfall which probably prevented some of the worst storm surge from pushing all the way into Lake Charles. This might be in part because the storm blew through so quickly and the storm surge was so high that it simply rode over the marshes, rather than tearing them up.

HOUSTON – A Houston native tragically lost four members of her family to carbon monoxide poisoning after Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The people who died were all members of a large, tight-knit, Lake Charles family. Sheletta Brundidge said four of her family members were found dead and one was seriously hurt from carbon monoxide poisoning after the storm. After the family survived the monster hurricane that was Laura without any issues, far-flung family members thought the worst was over. Rosa’s husband Charles was found in critical condition and rushed to the hospital.

HOUSTON – A Louisiana family said they evacuated for Hurricane Laura only to end up living out of their vehicle in Houston. They said they left their information with the American Red Cross and waited, but didn’t hear back. KPRC 2 contacted the American Red Cross and the state of Texas and stayed with the family as they spoke to both the group and the agency. In the end, Thomas said the Red Cross will cover rooms for the night at the hotel where the family was parked. So far, the state of Texas said it has provided more than 10,000 evacuees with more than 3,500 hotel rooms.

HOUSTON – The owner of Turkey Leg Hut, Lyndell Price, said he saw the devastation in Louisiana that was caused by Hurricane Laura and he couldn’t ignore it. “When people need help, you just jump into action,” said Price. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee commended Price’s efforts and said that the assistance is desperately needed in the area. “As I saw it, it will be a long road to recovery and Houston and Houstonians will be a part of the recovery,” said Lee. Price said that he plans to return to Louisiana next week with more food and supplies.

TOMBALL, Texas – A Louisiana family that evacuated ahead of Hurricane Laura has spent the last few nights at a hotel in Tomball. The family of nearly two dozen, including kids, left their homes in the Lake Charles area right before Laura arrived. They initially paid for hotel rooms in Austin, Dailey said. But with costs adding up, she said the Red Cross told her to head to a Hyatt in Houston. We’ve been out of rooms,” Dailey said.

Stevens had planned to be in Louisiana Monday to clean up communities affected by the hurricane. A hundred cases of water, baby food, pet food, cleaning supplies, all donated and driven to Louisiana Monday. They helped us during Harvey,” Stevens said, noting the help from volunteers from Louisiana during Hurricane Harvey. Relief from organizations across Texas poured into Louisiana, as donation drives continued to mount. A faith-based collective also sent trucks of supplies to Louisiana, from Texas.

HOUSTON – The City of Houston and Harris County have extended the deadline for the rental assistance program. According to Mayor Sylvester Turner, the deadline for landlords and tenants to apply for the program is now Wednesday, Sept. 2. “If you are a tenant or a landlord, because of Hurricane Laura, we have decided we are extending the deadline,” said Turner. The program is meant to help those who are struggling to pay rent because of the pandemic. In order for tenants to be able to apply, their landlords must first enroll in the program.

Layla Winbush walks over the debris of her family's destroyed auto detailing business in Lake Charles, La., in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. Federal and state officials are now on the ground to help residents with home repairs and hotel stays. The Federal Emergency Management Agency sent hundreds of workers to the region to help with search and rescue and other efforts. Many people in Lake Charles were still staying outside town, but James Townley said he would remain in his home, as he did during the storm. They have requested help from FEMA, but Lavergne said she didn't have a checking account in which to receive federal money.

Bradley Beard calls Hurricane Laura his third strike. This is all I got.Across Cameron Parish, the coastal parish where Hurricane Laura crashed ashore early Thursday, residents dug through what was left of their belongings, covered now-stripped roofs with tarps, and took stock of the damage. Edwards called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana, a shocking assessment in a state where Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29, 2005. Out in western Louisiana it is the storm that came ashore a month after Katrina Hurricane Rita that evokes strong memories. Her daughters insist that they stay in Cameron Parish.

The United Way and the American Red Cross are the principal agencies kicking into gear to help with the initial response and to help build communities back to normal. The American Red Cross is often on the scene before a storm moves in and stays long after its gone. Henry Van de Putte is the CEO of the American Red Cross, Texas Gulf Coast and gives the many options we have for helping the Red Cross help others. For those wanting to donate to the United Way agencies in that impacted area, they can text Laura to 40403And for those wanting to donate to the Red Cross, text Laura to 90999. Laura: A Near missthis timeKPRC Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley is joined by Jeff Lindner, meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District to talk about why Laura missed the Houston Metro and what to expect the rest of this hurricane season.

Hazardous emissions from a chlorine plant fire, abruptly shuttered oil and gas refineries and still-to-be assessed plant damage are seeping into the air after Hurricane Laura, regulators say, but some key state and federal monitors to alert the public of air dangers remain offline in Louisiana. But some Louisiana residents and environmental advocates say a shortage of solid government information on the state of the air is typical. No word of any major industrial threat other than the chlorine plant fire had emerged by three days after Laura. By Saturday, EPA contractors had left the area of the chlorine plant fire, said Langley, the Louisiana environmental spokesman. ___This story has been corrected to reflect that the name of the Louisiana environmental group is the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, not The Bucket Brigades.

The day started early for the Houston SPCA as crews loaded up pet crates before heading east. Just like how our friends helped us during Harvey, we’re there to help them as well,” said Julie Kuenstle, the vice president of communications for the Houston SPCA. After meeting up in Boyce, Louisiana, the animals were carefully transferred for their return trip to Texas. It’s amazing to know that we have a great partner like Houston SPCA that’s helping us to do that as well,” Destreza said. “We all have the same mission and that is to take care of the animals who need us,” Kuenstle said.

LAKE CHARLES – Without power and low accessibility to gas and other essentials, residents in Lake Charles and surrounding communities band together as they begin the long road to recovery. Nearly every street in Lake Charles shows the devastation of Hurricane Laura, which stormed through Wednesday night. However, residents and volunteers, coming from as far as Texas, came together to help families clean up their homes and businesses littered with debris. While one local man cooked food for anyone in need.

Damage is seen at South Cameron High School in Creole, La., Friday, Aug. 28, after the storm surge receded in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. It also led to fires at a chlorine plant in Westlake in the hard-hit Lake Charles area. Simply driving was a feat in Lake Charles. Nineteen babies who weathered the hurricane at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital were brought to other hospitals across around the state. Hurricane Laura also killed nearly two dozen people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic en route to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

While Houston was spared from the worst of Hurricane Laura, people still wanted to provide relief to those in need. Danny Stevens of Spring collected supplies for folks in Louisiana on Friday. A lot of people in Louisiana came over to help Houstonians during Harvey, and I felt weve got to help those people out since they helped us, he said. Itll show the support that theyre not alone, that they have other people that are supporting them, especially from Houston, Ottey said. Stevens said he collected enough to fill up two pickup trucks but may have to squeeze everything into his truck.

It was really, really bad instead of apocalyptic, Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach said. Lauren Sylvester heeded the mandatory evacuation, leaving her townhouse in Lake Charles on Wednesday to stay with her mom in New Iberia. Between the evacuation order and the storm surge projections, she didnt want to take a risk. In the end, the city got maybe half the storm surge it could have received, he said. The worst storm surge is to the east of a hurricane's eyewall because of the combination of the storm's counterclockwise whirl and northward movement.

The hospital has its own generator and hospital administrator Alesha Alford said it was built to withstand hurricane force winds. In a roughly two-hour operation the babies in the intensive care unit were transferred by ambulance to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, a ten-story facility on the northern side of the city. Two of them had their newborns with them while the child of the third mom was in the intensive care unit. To protect our babies, mattresses were pushed up against the windows to prevent flying glass although none of the windows ended up breaking. After making it through the hurricane, the plan was to have the babies stay in Lake Charles.

Houstons two professional soccer teams are hosting a food drive to assist Hurricane Laura victims. The Houston Dash and Houston Dynamo are collecting water, diapers and non-perishable food items Saturday at BBVA Stadium. The food drive started at 9am and runs to 3pm at the south end of the Stadium near the intersection of Emancipation Avenue and Walker Street. The soccer teams are collecting supplies donated by Houstonians which will then head to the Houston Food Bank. The food bank will disperse the items to Hurricane Laura victims in southeast Texas, specifically Port Arthur and Beaumont.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)HEMPHILL, Texas – Texas recorded four deaths Friday linked to Hurricane Laura, which roared ashore along the Louisiana border the day before. Sabine County Emergency Management Coordinator Kerwin Lloyd identified the first death as David Murrell, 54, in East Texas. One was 60, the other was 53, and both were from Port Arthur. At least two Port Arthur police officers also required hospital treatment for a dangerous level of carbon monoxide exposure, Burnett said. Officials blame Laura for a total of 14 deaths, with the rest counted in Louisiana.

HOUSTON – If you’re looking for ways to show your support to the Louisiana community, a good option is dining-in or ordering from local restaurants with roots in the areas impacted by Hurricane Laura. Here are seven Houston-area restaurants with Louisiana roots you can support right now:This family-owned and operated business, with roots in Lake Charles, has been serving authentic Cajun cuisine and specialty meats to Clear Lake area residents since 2001. Address: 1080 Clear Lake City Boulevard DPhone: (281) 480-2237This establishment with New Orleans roots serves authentic Crescent City daiquiris and food at its four Houston-area locations. With roots in south Louisiana, Calliope’s Po-Boys brings the New Orleans flavor to Houston at its two locations. Address: 1027 Sawdust Road #375, SpringPhone: (281) 771-3942We couldn’t leave out one of Houston’s iconic Cajun restaurants.

HOUSTON – The food made at six Houston restaurants will soon be headed to Louisiana and areas hit hard by Hurricane Laura. “We just feel like they helped us during Harvey so how do we return what they did for us,” said Ben McPherson, owner of BOH Pasta. “For every $5 donated, we’re going to create one meal that we’re going to take over to Louisiana to feed everybody,” he said. “Just having a nice meal while you have a lot of other things to worry about is just a nice, comforting thing,” said Steve Sharma, owner of El Big Bad. “Many years ago during Harvey, we had some of our neighbors from Louisiana come down here and help us out so we wanted to return the favor,” Sharma said.

KINGWOOD, Texas – The Murphy family evacuated from their home in Orange, Texas to a hotel in Kingwood, where they lost power on Thursday for seven hours. “Murphy’s law, right? You know, we thought something was going to happen, but we didn’t think the hotel was going to be without power,” Gary Murphy said. The storage shed is destroyed and the yard is a mess, but Murphy’s law failed for them in the best way. “The home’s still there, no broken windows, no damage per se,” Gary Murphy said.

ORANGE, Texas – Debris, snapped polls and downed trees are now a familiar sight in the small city of Orange, Texas. Basham drove 1.5 hours over to Orange to help homeowners like George Lambing cut and clear trees from their neighborhood’s roads. Debrah Walker didn’t see Laura, but she heard it. I thought the window was going to cave in, but it didn’t,” Walker laughed. Orange, the easternmost city of Texas on the other side of the Sabine River, got hit the hardest in the state.

HOUSTON – Multiple Houston-area school districts will be closed Friday due to the ongoing brownouts in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. RELATED: Some Houston-area residents to experience periodic power outages due to Hurricane LauraEntergy announced the outages to its Texas customers Thursday after its transmission system suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Laura. These are the closures so far:

HOUSTON – KPRC 2′s chopper flew over ravaged parts of Lake Charles and Cameron in Louisiana to capture the damage in the wake of the monster Hurricane Laura. The Category 4 hurricane slammed into the Texas-Louisiana border early Thursday morning. RELATED: How you can help Hurricane Laura victimsHere’s an aerial view of Cameron, Louisiana as of Thursday afternoon:

Hurricane Laura was an extremely destructive storm as it made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane early Thursday morning. From Galveston to Louisiana, the KPRC 2 team has been covering the storm. Here are videos from reporters covering Laura’s destruction:Port Arthur, TexasVinton, LouisianaLake Charles, LouisianaCameron Parish, LouisianaCameron Parish, Louisiana - near Sabine PassLake Charles, Louisiana

Here are things you need to know for Friday, August 28:1. 6 deaths in Louisiana tied to Hurricane LauraLouisiana officials now know of 6 deaths tied to Hurricane Laura. President Donald Trump says hell visit Texas to survey damagePresident Donald Trump is planning to visit Texas this weekend in the wake of Hurricane Laura. On the digital chalk board, she asked students to put their name and preferred pronoun in the chatbox. 3 things to shareWORD OF THE DAY:Whinge: [ hwinj, winj ] (verb) to complain; whine.

The FBIs Houston Division issued a warning and some tips on how people can protect themselves from fraud. According to the warning, scammers may go door to door to target residents in areas affected by hurricanes, so be vigilant. Do not click on any links or open attachments in an unsolicited email or give any personal information out online. If you believe you have been the victim of hurricane-related fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) at 866-720-5721 or file a complaint online. You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center here.

HOUSTON Hurricane Laura barreled through Louisiana Thursday, but humans are not the only ones having to face the devastation left in its wake. Animals all over the affected area are being relocated to other cities and shelters as people work to clean up the damage. According to the Houston SPCA, 50 cats and 40 dogs from the Lake Charles Animal Shelter will be coming to the Bayou City. This morning we are headed to Louisiana to #cleartheshelter with help from Hills Pet Nutrition. Well be back with... Posted by Houston SPCA on Friday, August 28, 2020You can learn more information about adoption at the HSPCA website or on the organizations Twitter or Facebook page.

LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana Less than 24 hours after Hurricane Laura devastated much of southeast Louisiana, thousands of residents in Lake Charles were left in the dark and struggling to make it back to their homes through tangles of trees, downed power lines and other debris. Almost every street in Lake Charles suffered some form of damage. Hundreds of homes suffered damage ranging from the cosmetic to the devastating. By late afternoon, many who live outside of Lake Charles still couldnt get home to even assess what is left of their property. There is dusk until dawn curfew is in effect in Lake Charles.

Flooding surrounds a damaged building and boat Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, in Cameron, La., after Hurricane Laura moved through the area Thursday. Simply driving in Lake Charles, a city of 80,000 residents that sustained some of the worst damage, was a feat. "If you come back to Lake Charles to stay, make sure you understand the above reality and are prepared to live in it for many days, probably weeks, Hunter wrote on Facebook. In the storm's wake, more than 600,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports. Ira Lyles returned to find that his downtown Lake Charles salon called The Parlor House survived with little damage, but his home was destroyed.

Many families across Montgomery County were affected by the loss of power Thursday after Hurricane Laura hit Texas and Louisiana. Trina Brown-Boyd lives in the Oak Ridge area, where families lost power for almost eight hours. Entergys website showed more than 100,000 customers in Montgomery County were without power for a huge chunk of the day. https://t.co/fWHqA969e2 Entergy Texas (@EntergyTX) August 27, 2020Entergy told KPRC 2 the power outages are due to the damage from Hurricane Laura to their transmission system in East Texas and West Louisiana. Due to the ongoing outages, MD Anderson, The Woodlands, Montgomery ISD, Splendora ISD, and Conroe ISD will all be closed Friday.

HOUSTON – Texans, along with Houston-area residents, experienced power outages due to Hurricane Laura’s impact. According to Entergy, the power has since been restored for most Houston-area residents. Entergy announced the outages to its Texas customers Thursday after its transmission system suffered extensive damage from the hurricane. The current transmission line issue that has caused our power outages has been located and is in the process of repairs. Here were some suggested ways Entergy customers could reduce their electricity usage:Raise the central air conditioner thermostat to 78 degrees.

HOUSTON – Renee Lavine, a KPRC 2 photojournalist who grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, shared what it was like watching her hometown get battered by Hurricane Laura, which came ashore just south of the city. I’m worried. I just couldn’t even eat the whole bowl because I was just anxious.”Lavine said many of her relatives evacuated Lake Charles ahead of the storm. She continued, “I’m feeling like this is going to be very similar to Rita’s damage.”Lavine’s parents evacuated from Lake Charles to Houston ahead of Laura’s landfall. By coincidence, relatives of Erica Young, a producer at KPRC 2, evacuated from Cameron Parish to Lake Charles.

HOUSTON – See how some of the most beloved spots in Louisiana fared in Hurricane Laura as KPRC 2 travels through the storm-impacted areas. FROSTY FACTORY IN LAKE CHARLESFrosty Factory (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) Frosty Factory after Hurricane Laura (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) MCNEESE STATE FOOTBALL STADIUM – LAKE CHARLESMCNEESE STATE FOOTBALL STADIUM – LAKE CHARLES (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) MCNEESE STATE BASEBALL FIELD – LAKE CHARLESMCNEESE STATE BASEBALL FIELD – LAKE CHARLES (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.)

In the wake of Hurricane Laura, H-E-B stores across Houston and southeast Texas closed early on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Texas-based supermarket reopened all its Greater Houston area stores as well as the Beaumont H-E-B Plus! and Groves H-E-B locations. Additionally, all fuel stations and pharmacies are operating under local store hours. In addition to its weather preparations work, H-E-B has received abundant praise this year for its planning and handling of COVID-19.

– Louisiana officials now know of 6 deaths tied to Hurricane Laura. The fatalities included a 24-year-old male that died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator inside his residence, Mike Steele, communications director for the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness said. A man, whose age is unknown, died of drowning while aboard a sinking ship. Earlier Thursday, a 14-year-old girl died when a tree crashed onto her family’s mobile home near Leesville, the Vernon Parish Sherriff’s Office said. Laura blasted through the Louisiana coast and made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane early Thursday, wreaking damage on the industrial, casino city of Lake Charles.

Here are things you need to know for Thursday, August 27:1. Tracking the tropics: Hurricane Laura moves inland after slamming into coast as Category 4 stormHurricane Laura made landfall at 1 a.m. Thursday in Cameron, Louisiana. Louisiana will suffer the lion’s share of the damage associated with Hurricane Laura since it was on the “dirty” side of the storm. LATEST: KPRC 2 reporters are along the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Laura nears land. This is what people saw as Hurricane Laura made landfall in LouisianaHurricane Laura made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana around 1 a.m. Thursday.

But regardless where you’re located or what types of weather your region regularly experiences, it’s always best to remain vigilant. When it comes to hurricanes and big storms, there’s always so much talk about how to prepare the insides of our homes. Therefore, it’s always better to err on the side of caution, he added. “There’s nothing wrong with being too careful.”So, the next time a big storm’s coming to town, walk around the exterior of your house, your property or your yard. You could even turn this into a project, moving just a few belongings a day, leading up to the storm.

There are already several ways you can help those who are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. Health-focused relief help with AmericaresOne organization is organizing help for impacted health care centers. Please join us as we help our neighbors in E Texas & Louisiana who are affected by Hurricane Laura. How can I help hurricane victims? Before making a donation, we recommend everyone research charities that are soliciting donations for Hurricane Laura relief efforts.

HOUSTON – Hurricane Laura pummeled the northwestern Gulf Coast as the Category 4 storm came ashore early Thursday morning. KPRC 2 had crews stations across the region to cover the landfall, and their cameras recorded some of the sounds of the storm. You can see reports from each of our crews here. Lake Charles, LouisianaPort Arthur, TexasLafayette, LouisianaBeaumont, Texas

Here's what Hurricane Laura sounded like in Port Arthur, Texas. If you need help with the Public File, call (713) 778-4745.

Here's what Hurricane Laura sounded like in Lafayette, Louisiana. If you need help with the Public File, call (713) 778-4745.

Latasha Myles and Howard Anderson stand in their living room where they were sitting when the roof blew off around 2:30 a.m. as Hurricane Laura passed through the area in Lake Charles, Louisiana. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Whether it’s falling branches or flying stop signs, one can predict what will happen during a live shot — especially while covering CAT 4 Hurricane Laura! In the early hours of Thursday morning, Meteorologist Justin Horne, who works for KPRC 2′s sister station KSAT, was giving a live report on air when he had a close call that was caught on camera. In the video below, you can see Horne reporting live on the air when it appears to be a large flash of electricity that could have been either a lightning strike or blown transformer. pic.twitter.com/qDPdILkMBW — Justin Horne (@Justin_Horne) August 27, 2020Luckily, no one was injured and Horne, like a true reporter, kept going. UpdateHorne clarified the flash was from a blown transformer.

HOUSTON – Hurricane Laura made landfall at 1 a.m. Thursday in Cameron, Louisiana. At midnight Thursday morning, Laura’s northern eyewall began moving onshore with 150 mph sustained winds and gusts up to 185 mph, making it a strong Category 4 storm. As of noon, Laura had weakened to a tropical storm with 75 mph sustained winds. It will continue to weaken quickly as it moves inland. Now that Laura is over land, it will speed up and curve eastward into the Mid-Atlantic states, bringing with it heavy rainfall.

HOUSTON – Hurricane Laura was an extremely destructive storm as it made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane early Thursday morning. From Louisiana to Galveston, the KPRC 2 team has been covering the storm. Here’s a look at some of their stories. Vinton, LouisianaLake Charles, LouisianaSulphur, LouisianaBeaumontBolivar PeninsulaBridge CityAnahuacGalvestonLiberty CountyKemahPort Arthur

Are you ready for a disaster such as Hurricane Laura?

While at least seven local hospital campuses are now closed, at least three emergency rooms remain open. They do not anticipate the closed hospital campuses, which include outpatient, wellness centers and orthopedic hospitals, to reopen until at least Friday. Flood gates securedOfficials at the Texas Medical Center in Houston closed the flood gates Wednesday afternoon. Per emergency recommendations, the metal doors close eight hours before any storm makes nearby landfall. Research and our teaching activities within this building were completely halted for many weeks,” said Scott Patlovich, UT Health Assistant VP Environmental Health and Safety.

HOUSTON Hurricane Laura made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana around 1 a.m. Thursday. As the storm started moving in, people started sharing images and videos of what conditions looked like in their area. From debris to blown-out windows, these are some of the things people saw as Laura hit:A portion of Highway 87 on High Island is impassable. @KPRC2 #kprc2 pic.twitter.com/R2VUi06FVw KPRC Cathy Hernandez (@KPRC2Cathy) August 27, 2020Breaking news major damage in Downtown Lake Charles many skyscrapers have blown out winds. #HurricaneLaura #LakeCharles #Louisiana pic.twitter.com/cUc9NhX1lO Chris Bruin (@TWCChrisBruin) August 27, 2020Winds in the eye wall of #HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/w8SnTIVWCT The Storm Warning (@TheStormWarnin1) August 27, 2020

ORANGE, Texas Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday praised local officials who issued evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Laura as the reason for the low number of injuries and deaths as a result of the storm. He said treed damage was reported in Jefferson County, where winds of up to 60 mph were reported. Preparation paid off.Abbott said there are about 160,000 power outages in the Texas area affected by Hurricane Laura. The governor said anyone who has sustained damage to their property should call their insurance companies as soon as possible.

HOUSTON The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center said it is preparing to help those hit hardest by Hurricane Laura if theres a need. Typically after natural disasters, blood donations are needed. Heres whyOur community alone needs close to 1,000 units of blood for patients in the hospital right now. When natural disasters hit, donations in the hard-hit areas get used up quickly and demand rises. Right now all blood donations are screened for antibodies to determine if a donor has recovered from the coronavirus.

(AP) As Texas braced for Hurricane Laura on Wednesday, state officials said there were 229 newly reported deaths from COVID-19 and 5,045 newly reported cases of the coronavirus that causes it. As people evacuated the upper Texas coast, emergency officials have been urging them to take safeguards against the virus as well. Laura strengthened Wednesday into a Category 4 hurricane, which can cause damage so catastrophic that power outages may last for months in places. The number of COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals has continued to drop and stood at 4,806 patients Wednesday. The Texas Department of State Health Services said Texas so far has reported more than 592,000 cases since pandemic tracking began in March, and 11,805 deaths have been reported.

Republicans decided the show must go on and, for the most part, television networks followed. The convention is taking place in the shadow of huge stories that are happening right now, CNN's Anderson Cooper said. Networks, after giving extensive coverage to the Democrats last week, are cognizant of being fair to the Republicans. The president has been showing up every night, the president could talk about it. But former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum, also a CNN contributor, said Republicans were there to try and reelect President Trump and that has to continue to remain their focus.

A fire and chemical leak at a chlorine plant near Lake Charles, Louisiana, is under control Friday after catching fire in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. Precautionary shelter-in-place orders are still in effect for Sulphur, Westlake and Moss Bluff. Video from Sky 2 showed smoke coming from the BioLab plant near Interstate 10. KPLC-TV reported that crews were spraying water on the area of the chlorine leak in order to dilute the chemical. Our priority is the safety and well-being of the Lake Charles community of which we are a part.

A sign in Galveston as Hurricane Laura approached. Credit: Julio-Cesar Chavez/REUTERSThursday's biggest developments:Hurricane Laura downgraded to Category 2Hurricane Laura downgraded to Category 2[7:12 a.m.] After battering the Gulf Coast shortly after midnight Thursday, Hurricane Laura has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm as it moves northeast through the Texas-Louisiana border. Cassi Pollock, Matthew Watkins and Brandon FormbyHurricane Laura intensifies and is close to becoming Category 5 hurricane[8:27 p.m., Wednesday] As Hurricane Laura barreled toward the Gulf Coast on Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center reported that the storms maximum sustained winds had reached 150 mph just 7 mph short of becoming a Category 5 hurricane. The storm is expected to bring "catastrophic" storm surge, winds and flash flooding. The storm, currently a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to hit land just east of the Texas-Louisiana border by Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

HOUSTON Until Wednesday, parts of the Houston area were on track to feel serious impacts from Hurricane Laura. While we may have dodged a bullet, our neighbors in Louisiana are facing the devastating effects of the Category 4 storm. According to the task force, the last time crews had a similar set up was during Hurricane Harvey. Some of the crews are expected to go to Louisiana, but many will be be dispatched to Beaumont and Port Arthur, Davis said. Madden said the crews will not be sent out until they can make sure the roads are open and it is safe for them to travel.

HOUSTON With all eyes on the Gulf of Mexico and Hurricane Laura fast approaching, residents along the coast, from Chambers County to Louisiana, are preparing for the worst. As Lauras path approaches, residents and local leaders are taking preemptive measures to stay safe. Your resource guideLatest forecast updates from KPRC 2 MeteorologistsLive blog following all the latest updates, closures, and moreLIST: These are all the evacuation orders in place in the Houston areaLIVE SOCIAL FEED: What Houstons experts are saying about Laura and Marco right nowHere is KPRC2s 2020 Hurricane & Flood Survival GuideKPRC 2s reporters visited areas all along the Gulf Coast to meet with officials and residents who spent Monday preparing for severe weather. See those videos below:Chambers CountyGalveston Bay AreaHigh Island, TXGalvestonLake Charles, LouisianaBeaumontPort ArthurBolivar PeninsulaPolk CountyChambers County

AUSTIN, Texas A suspect has been arrested and charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a bystander during a fight on a downtown Austin street involving 60 Hurricane Laura evacuees from the Gulf Coast, Austin police said Friday. A police statement identified the suspect as Linton Wilson Alexander, 21, but gave no hometown. He was booked Thursday night into Travis County Jail without bond on a murder charge, jail records showed. Police say two groups of evacuees from Port Arthur and Beaumont brawled on a downtown Austin street about 12:30 a.m. Thursday. Greg Abbott credited the evacuation of vulnerable Southeast Texas areas for saving Texas lives.

HOUSTON The evacuation orders in both Galveston and Harris counties were lifted Thursday morning after Hurricane Laura narrowly missed the Houston region. The hurricane made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana, as a Category 4 storm with winds of 150 mph about 120 miles east of Houston. It was an even closer miss for Galveston, where the eye passed within 79 miles of the county. We were very lucky, said Galveston County Judge Mark Henry. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said that the effects of Hurricane Laura in the county were minimal and that people who evacuated can return to their homes.

Heres a glimpse at the catastrophic scenes in Louisiana:Those riding out the storm in Lake Charles experienced extreme winds exceeding 100 mph. #lawx pic.twitter.com/og06tSSje9 Cory Smith (@wxcory) August 27, 2020Strong winds ripped street signs from its post near the Civic Center in Lake Charles. Winds in Lake Charles caused a motor home to topple over. This is in Lake Charles, Louisiana where #HurricaneLaura is moving through pic.twitter.com/KyDZT1P4ga Cynthia McLaughlin (@cynthiasmu) August 27, 2020Buildings in Lake Charles faced damage brought on by the storm. Residential areas in Lake Charles face incredible wreckage in the aftermath of the storm.

A fire at a chemical plant, BioLab Inc., that handles chlorine for swimming pools burns on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in Westlake, La., in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. A fire at a Louisiana chlorine plant erupted with thick, billowing smoke Thursday after Hurricane Laura plowed through part of the country's petrochemical corridor with storm surges and fierce wind, forcing residents around the plant to shelter in their homes. In the Lake Charles area, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality workers with hand-held monitors did not immediately detect chlorine releases from the fire at the BioLab plant, agency spokesman Greg Langley said. BioLabs corporate parent said the plant had been shut down and evacuated ahead of the storm, and no plant employees were injured. State environmental officials planned to survey the entire storm area from the air to look for signs of any other industry fires or leaks, Langley said.

President Donald Trump is planning to visit Texas this weekend in the wake of Hurricane Laura. Well probably be going Saturday or Sunday and well be heading to Texas and Louisiana and maybe an additional stop, Trump said Thursday afternoon during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.Trump said he was prepared to postpone his speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention due to the hurricane, but we got a little bit lucky.It was very big, it was very powerful, but it passed quickly and so everythings on schedule, Trump said of the storm. Around the same time Trump spoke, state leaders were holding a news conference in Orange, voicing a similar sentiment. Greg Abbott said the state dodged a bullet with the hurricane, which made landfall early Thursday morning in southwest Louisiana but was quickly downgraded from a Category 4 storm. Patrick Svitek

HOUSTON While Houston managed to dodge the wrath of Hurricane Laura, the Houston SPCAs Wildlife Center inevitably gets an influx of animals after every major storm. Brooke Yahney, whos part of the Houston SPCAs Wildlife Center of Texas Rehabilitation Team, gave us some great information and tips on how Houstonians can help when its time to bring wildlife in. Once warm and dry, you can bring him or her to the wildlife center. If the bird is unable to fly, please bring him or her to the Wildlife Center. If anyone has questions about native wildlife found after Hurricane Laura or any other big storm, leave a message at 713.861.9453, (WILD) or email info@wildlifecenteroftexas.org.

Hundreds of Hurricane Laura evacuees wait in their cars as they line up for hotel vouchers at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. Credit: Bronte Wittpenn/American-Statesman via USA TODAY NETWORKGet the latest updates on Hurricane Laura here. Hurricane Laura almost strengthened into a Category 5 storm Wednesday as it neared the Gulf Coast and threatened "catastrophic" devastation from storm surge and wind damage on both sides of the Texas-Louisiana border. The storm, currently a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to make landfall after midnight Thursday. Hurricane Laura is also expected to cause flooding and damage from storm surge, which pushes water from the coast inland.