Laura strengthens into hurricane, evacuations underway
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LAKE CHARLES, La. (NewsNation) — Laura has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
NewsNation Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon said the hurricane is located roughly 580 miles southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and moving west-northwest at 16 mph, as of Tuesday morning.
Laura is expected to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane by Wednesday morning, and then a Category 3 hurricane by that night, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph. Landfall is expected Wednesday night or early Thursday morning near the Texas and Louisiana border, Ramon reported.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Warning from San Luis Pass near Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana.
A Storm Surge Warning is also in effect from San Luis Pass to the mouth of the Mississippi River, including areas inside the Port Arthur Hurricane Flood Protection system.
Along with the heavy rain and storm surge threat, destructive winds are also likely for areas near Laura’s center of circulation. The American Model shows the potential for Category 2 and Category 3 hurricane force winds, especially to the right of the eye-wall on late Wednesday night, Ramon said.
The force of the wind, combined with the forward momentum of Laura, will force sea water inland making for a significant storm surge threat for areas east of the eye-wall.
The next full forecast update from the National Hurricane Center is expected by 5 p.m. ET.
Laura passed Cuba after killing nearly two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola, including 20 in Haiti and 3 in the Dominican Republic, where it knocked out power and caused intense flooding. The deaths reportedly included a 10-year-old girl whose home was hit by a tree and a mother and young son crushed by a collapsing wall.
Two Texas Gulf Coast towns are being evacuated ahead of the storm. Officials in Port Arthur issued an evacuation order Monday night, NewsNation affiliate KXAN reported.
Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie told residents to evacuate by 6 a.m. CST on Tuesday.
Cesar Reyes, right, carries a sheet of plywood to cut to size as he and Robert Aparicio, left, and Manuel Sepulveda, not pictured, install window coverings at Strand Brass and Christmas on the Strand, 2115 Strand St., in Galveston on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP) 
Judge Lina Hidalgo emphasized that Laura should not be compared to past hurricanes like Harvey while addressing the media from Houston Transtar on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (Hadley Chittum /Houston Chronicle via AP) 
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards answers questions Monday August 24, 2020 while holding a media briefing about the state’s activity related to Hurricanes Marco and Laura, in addition to hosting a Unified Command Group meeting afterwards. Both storms are forecast to impact Louisiana this week within a few days of each other, in Baton Rouge, La. (Bill Feig./The Advocate via AP) 
A girl wades towards her flooded home the day after the passing of Tropical Storm Laura in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Laura battered the Dominican Republic and Haiti on it’s way to the U.S. Gulf Coast, where forecaster fear it could become a major hurricane. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) 
Lafaille Katia 28, removes salvage items from her flooded house the day after the passing of Tropical Storm Laura in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Forecasters fear Laura could become a major hurricane along the U.S. Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) 
Street vendors wade a flooded street during the passing of Tropical Storm Laura in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Laura battered the Dominican Republic and Haiti and is heading for a possible hit on the Louisiana coast at or close to hurricane force as a hurricane, along with Tropical Storm Marco. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) 
Curious residents of Key West, Fla., flock to the Edward B. Knight Pier Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, to witness the wind and wave action of Hurricane Laura as the storm passes well to the west of the Florida Keys. (Rob O’Neal/The Key West Citizen via AP)
The city of Galveston has also issued a mandatory evacuation order. Residents started evacuating the island Tuesday, and are asked to leave the area by 12 p.m. CST on Tuesday.
“With the uncertainties of this storm and its increasing strength, we need to take all necessary precautions to protect our residents,” Galveston Mayor Pro Tem Craig Brown said. “It’s imperative that you make plans this morning to secure your homes and move you and your family to safety off island.”
Texas A&M University at Galveston has ordered students, faculty and staff to evacuate Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution,” the school said in a statement.
The Associated Press and NewsNation affiliate KXAN contributed to this report.
