Tracking Hurricane Laura After It Barreled Over U.S. Gulf Coast
What You Need To Know
Hurricane Laura raked Louisiana on Thursday, becoming one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the state. In its wake, it left chemical fires, wrecked buildings, flooded roads and what could be more than $15 billion in insured losses. It became a tropical storm about noon local time.
The storm came ashore at 1 a.m. near Cameron, Louisiana, with maximum winds of 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour. That matched a record set in 1856. It killed at least four people in Louisiana when trees fell on their homes. And in Lake Charles, residents were ordered inside while smoke from a damaged plant billowed into the air.
Further complicating the situation, Laura made landfall during the coronavirus pandemic. The storm prompted mandatory evacuations in coastal areas, but such movement could lead to more infections.
Key Coverage
By The Numbers
- 150 mph maximum winds from Laura as the storm made landfall
- $15 billion potential size of insured losses
- 3 more months left in the U.S. Atlantic hurricane season
Why It Matters
Laura extended an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season that still has three months to go. It was the seventh system to hit the U.S., a record for this time of year. It was the first major hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast since Michael in 2018.
The storm targeted the heart of America’s energy industry, shutting more than 80% of Gulf oil production and a third of the region’s refining capacity. It scored a direct hit on plants that produce chemicals and liquefied natural gas.
Laura could be the costliest U.S. hurricane for insurers so far this year, said Matthew Palazola, a senior analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence.
“We believe a loss in the low-teens billions of dollars is possible, but there’s still a large amount of uncertainty,” Palazola said. “Insurers such as CNA, Chubb and Allstate are staring down a costly Hurricane Laura, yet a worst-case scenario may have been avoided as the storm didn’t directly hit New Orleans or Houston.”
