‘Houses that are totally gone’: 4 dead as Tropical Storm Laura exits Louisiana, leaving wake of destruction

One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. pounded the Gulf Coast with wind and rain early Thursday morning, but Laura rapidly weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm by afternoon.

Chemical fire billows near Lake Charles in Hurricane Laura’s wake

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.

All hands on deck: Linemen, Cajun Navy volunteers prepare to assist as Hurricane Laura bears down

Hundreds of volunteers, from linemen to boat crews to chainsaw crews, were assisting local governments and first responders to prepare to provide relief in the wake of the hurricane’s destruction.

Hurricane Laura forces hundreds of thousands to evacuate Gulf Coast

More than 385,000 residents were told to flee the Texas cities of Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur, and another 200,000 were ordered to leave low-lying Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana, where forecasters said as much as 13 feet (3.96 meters) of storm surge topped by waves could submerge whole communities.

Hurricane Laura forms; projected to strengthen before Gulf Coast landfall

Laura became a hurricane on Tuesday morning as it entered the warm and deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, gathering strength on a path to hit the U.S. coastline early Thursday as a major hurricane that could unleash a surge of seawater higher than a basketball hoop and swamp entire towns.

74-year-old suspected serial rapist arrested for sexual assault of Dallas woman in 1985

A 74-year-old man who authorities believe is linked to at least six sexual assaults in Dallas and Shreveport, Louisiana between 1980-1985, has been arrested for one of those sexual assaults.

3 arrested in attack on teenage Chili's worker enforcing coronavirus rules, police say

The 17-year-old hostess told news outlets she was working at a Baton Rouge Chili’s last weekend when a party of 11 people arrived and wanted to be seated together.

Pregnant woman dies of COVID-19, doctors manage to save baby

A pregnant woman from Baton Rouge passed away Thursday due to complications from COVID-19, but doctors at Woman’s Hospital successfully delivered her baby,

Louisiana cop fired for suggesting it was 'unfortunate' coronavirus hadn't killed more black people: report

A Louisiana police department apologized and one of its officers was fired over a Facebook comment suggesting he thought it was “unfortunate” more black people have not died from the coronavirus.

Baby can't stop laughing at playful Labradoodle

Dog really is baby’s best friend – as shown by a little seven-month-old boy in Louisiana who could not contain his laughter as he played with his two-year-old Labradoodle during lockdown.

Louisiana’s youngest COVID-19 victim: a premature baby who lived for one day

The coronavirus pandemic claimed its youngest victim yet in Louisiana on Monday — a baby born prematurely after her mother contracted the disease and was put on a ventilator.