Live: Half a million evacuated amid fears of 'unsurvivable storm surge' when storm makes landfall as Category 4
Hurricane Laura is due to hit Texas and Louisiana on Wednesday evening
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Hurricane Laura, that is due to make landfall in Louisiana and Texas on Wednesday is predicted to be ungraded to a Category 4 hurricane later today before it hits the US.
The hurricane was upgraded to a Category 3 overnight on Wednesday, but satellite images show that it has grown into "a formidable hurricane", according to the National Hurricane Centre.
It is anticipated that it could destroy homes and communities, and Stacy Stewart, a senior hurricane specialist told CBS on Wednesday that "Some areas, when they wake up Thursday morning, they're not going to believe what happened."
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The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana has revealed that the area is already seeing rising water, hours before hurricane Laura hits the state.
"LA 1 remains closed at this time south of the Leon Theriot Lock in Golden Meadow," the office posted on its Facebook page.
The office posted a photo of the area onto its page.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office
President Trump tweeted about hurricane Laura on Wednesday, hours before it is scheduled to hit the US.
He wrote: "Hurricane Laura is a very dangerous and rapidly intensifying hurricane.
"My Administration remains fully engaged with state & local emergency managers to continue preparing and assisting the great people Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Listen to local officials. We are with you!"
Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh could not confirm whether the third night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) would be affected by hurricane Laura, in a call with reporters, including one from CNN.
He was also unable to confirm whether Laura would play a part in the messaging at the RNC.
"I have not seen the final draft of remarks. I know that the President and the White House is of course on top of the situation regarding the storms," he said.
"And that's, probably, to talk about moment to moment what is happening there, that's a question better aimed at the White House."
Due to Covid-19 concerns, Louisiana officials are transporting residents from coastal areas to hotels, instead of shelters in preparation for hurricane Laura.
Mike Steele, Communications Director at Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for the State of Louisiana, told CNN: "What's being done on a state level, instead of picking them up and taking them to state operated shelters, they're being picked up and taken to hotel rooms because of Covid concerns."
He added that so far, "892 people have been assisted with their evacuation in coordination with the parish and the state."
Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards announced at his press conference on Wednesday that the full Louisiana National Guard has been activated, to help deal with hurricane Laura.
He added: "We need everyone in southwest Louisiana paying close attention to this storm. People need to heed the warnings they have been given and evacuate."
The governor also said that parts of the state could be "unsurvivable," which echoed the National Hurricane Centre, which said earlier that there will be an "unsurvivable storm surge with large and destructive waves will cause catastrophic damage from Sea Rim State Park, Texas, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana, including Calcasieu and Sabine Lakes."
It added that "only a few hours remain to protect life and property and all actions should be rushed to completion."
The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office has evacuated prisoners in the area, in preparation for hurricane Laura.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the office confirmed that it started evacuating prisoners on Tuesday, and continued today.
"The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office began evacuating all prisoners, over 900, due to the threat of hurricane Laura. The prisoners will be housed in various facilities throughout the state and will be brought back as soon as conditions are safe," the Facebook post read.
Sheriff Tony Mancuso confirmed that the prison will stay open for anyone who commits a major crime, or engages in looting during the storm.
Judge Mark Henry of Galveston County, Texas, has urged any residents still in the area to evacuate as soon as possible, ahead of hurricane Laura.
Mr Henry told CNN that a majority of residents have already left the area, following a mandatory evacuation order, but he warned anyone who has remained that Galveston County could see major destruction tonight and on Thursday.
He said: "Our biggest concern is that this is a powerful storm and hurricanes are notorious for making last-minute changes that no one predicted, and we have very little time to react should that happen now."
The city evacuated 300 people on Tuesday, but had to stop as the weather worsened, according to CNN.
Wayne McDaniel, judge of Hardin County, Texas, has warned residents of the area to evacuate now before hurricane Laura hits the state.
The county is under an evacuation order, but many of the residents are staying behind.
CNN reported that Ms McDaniel posted on his Facebook page: "There will be many days that electrical power will not be available, possibly weeks.
"There will be trees down all over the county. There will be trees on houses. There will be houses destroyed. There will be mobile homes turned over."
On Wednesday morning, NOAA Satellites posted a gif that showed the storm from space, including lightning strikes.
The organisation tweeted: "For this #WednesdayMorning, take a look at #HurricaneLaura with @NOAA's #GOESEast satellite as the hurricane's convection bursts with lightning.
"As of 8 a.m. EDT, #Laura had winds of 115 mph and was rapidly intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico."
Local officials in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana have urged residents to evacuate ahead of hurricane Laura's hitting the state on Wednesday night.
Mayor Nic Hunter, from Lake Charles, said "we expect a catastrophic event from this storm," during a press conference on Wednesday.
The parish, that is home to more than 200,000 people, is under a mandatory evacuation order, and CNN have reported that 600 people were transported out of the area on buses.
Calcasieu Parish Jury President Tony Guillory urged anyone still remaining to leave, and said: "Please, if you have not left yet, do so soon."
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