Hurricane Laura

Hurricane Laura is a Category 4 hurricane that originated from a tropical wave that moved off the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean, gradually growing until it hit the Southern part of the United States with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, which is about 50 pounds of force per square foot. After beginning as a large tropical wave on August 16, Laura transformed into a tropical storm while moving westward across the Atlantic. This hurricane went through the Caribbean areas as a strong tropical storm, prompting evacuations amid the COVID-19 pandemic in countries such as the Antilles, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

In total, Hurricane Laura was indirectly or directly linked to 59 fatalities as of the time this article was written, with 31 deaths in Haiti, 4 in the Dominican Republic, and 24 deaths in the United States, with 1 in Florida, 8 in Texas, and 15 in Louisiana. The majority of fatalities in the USA are believed to be linked to the use of faulty generators after the hurricane's storm surge knocked power out along the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The current number of injuries linked to Hurricane Laura is estimated to be around 10,000, while the number of people displaced/evacuated along the storm's path exceeded 250,000. The current COVID-19 pandemic is also making matters harder by slowing supply deliveries and infecting displaced people and volunteers.

Residents in the hardest-hit areas of Southern Louisiana who weathered the storm were interviewed about the effects of Hurricane Laura. South of Lake Charles, Patrick Bright spent the night at his father's house, and he says the structure started shaking as the storm hit. Then, they felt the roof get pulled off and water started coming into the house. "It was very different," he said, from previous strong hurricanes that hit the area. "I was here for a little bit of Rita" and its massive floodwaters in 2005, Bright said. He added, "This time it's more, as you can see, the wind just tore everything up." At a nearby mobile home park, Greg Lewis rode out the storm in his double-wide, staying behind after his wife went to a motel - a mistake, he now says. "It was the noisiest I have ever heard in my life, and it never quit," Lewis tells Goodwyn, adding that he could hear tornadoes in the midst of the storm's howling winds.

The cost of this tragic natural disaster is estimated to be around $9 billion USD, with insurance agencies stating that about 9-12 billion USD was given out in the USA as part of insurance policies while other Caribbean countries also received aid. Fortunately, the cost of Hurricane Laura was about a third of what it was initially feared to be, which is good news but the areas hit by this massive storm still require help to rebuild. Our Disaster Agency Group has researched and compiled this list of trusted organizations below that you can donate to knowing that your money/volunteering efforts will directly reach the unfortunate people affected by this massive hurricane.

Fund Agencies:

- Cajun Navy Relief: A local non-profit working to rescue stranded victims and get critical supplies into the storm area. (https://www.cajunnavyrelief.com/?_ga=2.5411959.559500202.1598544742-1345968017.1598544742)

- SBPUSA: A local agency working to raise funds to supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and rebuild homes. (https://sbpusa.org/)

- Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana: A local organization in Louisiana which is helping survivors' basic needs. (https://www.foundationswla.org/hurricane-relief)

- Houston Food Bank: A local Texas organization which distributes packaged food throughout trucks and requires volunteers and funds. With every $1 you donate, you provide 3 meals to survivors. (https://www.houstonfoodbank.org/)

- American Red Cross: A national organization that has set up mobile food stations and is providing medical and relief services. (https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-laura-donations.html/)

- Americares: A national organization that has set up a fund to deliver medication, PPE, and supplies to rebuild damaged houses. (https://secure.americares.org/site/Donation2?df_id=25666&mfc_pref=T&25666.donation=form1&_ga=2.93044884.860367495.1598541497-1294152617.1598541497)

- All Hands and Hearts: An emergency response organization that sends volunteers to assist cleanup efforts and to create a long term recovery plan down South. (https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/give/298060/#!/donation/checkout)

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