Highlights

• Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds on August 27, 2020, near Cameron, Louisiana
• The storm caused $17.5 billion in damage across Louisiana and killed 33 people statewide
• Lake Charles sustained damage to 95% of its buildings, including the iconic Capital One Tower
• Recovery efforts include new affordable housing developments and over $1 billion in federal disaster relief funding
• Five years later, the community continues rebuilding with increased resilience measures

Five Years After Hurricane Laura: Lake Charles Continues Long Road to Recovery

Hurricane Laura caused $17.5B in Louisiana damage, but Lake Charles' five-year recovery shows the power of community resilience and determination.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPEL News) — Five years ago today, Hurricane Laura carved a path of destruction across Southwest Louisiana that forever changed Lake Charles and the surrounding region.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the Category 4 monster made landfall near Cameron at 1 a.m. on August 27, 2020, with sustained winds of 150 mph—tying it as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike Louisiana.

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Devastation Beyond Imagination

Hurricane Laura made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana at 06:00 UTC on August 27, 2020 as a Category 4 hurricane, with winds of 150 miles per hour (240 km/h) and a pressure of 938 mb. The storm brought catastrophic storm surge of up to 18 feet in Cameron Parish and left scenes that Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter described as looking "like a bomb went off in Lake Charles".

In Lake Charles alone, Hurricane Laura damaged 95% of the buildings that were standing, including the historic Capital One building that became a towering symbol of the storm's fury.

According to CNN, Lake Charles, which sits about 50 miles north of Cameron and has an estimated population of 78,000, bore the brunt of Laura's eyewall as it moved inland. The Weather Channel reported that the storm's extreme winds even destroyed the National Weather Service Doppler radar in Lake Charles, leaving meteorologists temporarily blind to conditions in the region.

Recovery Marked by Resilience and Challenges

The path back hasn't been easy or quick. Federal aid in the form of Community Block Development Grants for disaster relief didn't arrive until late 2022 and has since been disbursed through the state's Restore program. The state received a total of $1.05 billion for recovery from hurricanes Laura and Delta, as Hurricane Delta struck the same area just six weeks later, undoing many initial repairs.

Making matters worse, many residents found themselves without insurance coverage. According to SBP disaster recovery organization, insurance companies dropped thousands of regional clients after the storm, leaving families to navigate recovery without adequate financial support.

Signs of Progress Five Years Later

Despite the challenges, Lake Charles is showing remarkable signs of recovery. Five years after Hurricane Laura devastated Southwest Louisiana, Lake Charles is still rebuilding — and a new 78-unit affordable housing development on the city's edge marks a major step forward. The $25.5 million Benoit Townhomes development represents the kind of resilient construction the community needs.

Mayor Hunter recently celebrated significant milestones in the recovery effort. According to KLFY, Hunter said Lake Charles is seeing a returning population and businesses reopening. He said, in about six months, they'll have more housing units in Lake Charles than the city had pre-Laura. This achievement represents years of advocacy and collaboration between local officials, federal agencies, and private partners.

Ss of Aug. 26, the Office of Community Development awarded 1,817 grants in southwest Louisiana, helping families rebuild homes and lives. The community has also embraced new approaches to resilience, with improved building standards and infrastructure designed to better withstand future storms.

The spirit that defines Southwest Louisiana—that unique blend of determination, community support, and cultural pride—continues to drive the recovery. As Mayor Hunter told KLFY, "This state really comes together to help people in need", a testament to the bonds that have helped Lake Charles rebuild stronger than before.

While blue tarps still dot some neighborhoods and recovery remains uneven across the community, the progress is undeniable. Lake Charles has transformed from what The Weather Channel called "the most weather-battered city in America" into what local leaders hope will become "the most resilient city" in the region.

We woke up five years ago to scenes of a devastated Lake Charles. Here's what it was immediately after Laura hit. The city has had an amazing journey since.