Overnight marks one year since Hurricane Laura made landfall devastating Lake Charles.
One year later the recovery continues, and the city like the rest of the Gulf Coast is keeping an eye on another storm.
As another threat approached the Gulf Coast, those in Lake Charles and the surrounding area are still rebounding from last year’s storm season
“It’s hard. It’s a lot of stress on you.”
Latisha Ardoin and her family are calling a townhouse in Sulphur home after losing their home from both hurricanes and flooding in May.
“It’s too risky. It’s too much of a flood zone and I don't want it to be a situation where we start over and it happens again,” said Ardoin.
That fear was echoed by Lake Charles Mayor, Nic Hunter, as the city continues to deal with the impacts of the 2020 hurricane season.
“Many structures are compromised throughout this city and it would not take much, would not take a category four-category five hurricane and literally blow over a lot of structures in this community that is left damaged from Laura or Delta,” said Hunter.
As many anticipate the storm ahead, Hunter worries the economy will not be able to bounce back.
“We have at this juncture about one in five businesses that have not to renew their occupational licenses, that's a concern. We have five to 7000 people out of a population of 80,000 that we believe are still displaced. We have properties of both residential and commercial that literally haven't been touched since Hurricane Laura,” Hunter added.
Meanwhile, Ardoin says she will evacuate if needed but she won’t stay away for long.
“It’s hard to part ways with a place you grew up and been here all your life so we talked about it and we’re going to stay,” said Ardoin.
Pending any changes to the tropics, the storm is expected to make landfall on Sunday.
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