Hurricane Laura hit the United States Thursday, August 27, 2020 as a Category Four hurricane with winds of 150 miles per hour (mph). The hurricane eventually downgraded to speeds of 40 mph when it was about 35 miles south of Little Rock, Arkansas. But, it still managed to wreak destruction both before and after that occurred. 

Hurricane Laura destroyed buildings, businesses and started fires. A total of 1.5 million people had to be evacuated from their homes. However, six people were still killed by the storm. Four of those deaths were due to trees falling on houses. The last two deaths were one man who died of carbon monoxide poisoning from his generator, and a different man who died from drowning on his boat during the storm. A total of about 880,000 people lost power during the hurricane. 

Many consider the results of this storm to be bittersweet as they are thankful the hurricane was not as extensive as it could have been but are dismayed about the damage from the storm that did occur.

“We did not have the worst case scenario develop – we should all be thankful for that. But there are still thousands of families whose lives are not right side up today,” said Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards.