THE 2020–2021 DISASTERS

Southwest Louisiana was ravaged by four consecutive federally declared major disasters in 10 months in 2020 and 2021. The region emerged with a united resolve to rebuild a stronger, more resilient, and vibrant community. This is the story of Just Imagine SWLA.

Hurricane Laura made landfall in Cameron Parish on August 27, 2020 as a Category 4 hurricane. With sustained wind speeds of 150 miles per hour, it tied as the strongest hurricane on record to hit Louisiana. Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes experienced up to nine feet of storm surge and extreme winds, which caused catastrophic damage to homes, commercial buildings, utilities, mature trees, and critical facilities.

With the region struggling to recover from Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta made landfall in Cameron Parish on October 9, 2020, just nine miles east of where Hurricane Laura hit only six weeks earlier. Southwest Louisiana was already in a state of emergency, with the majority of people displaced and thousands of homes with tarped roofs. Tarps and debris from Laura were blown away, and homes were destroyed by rainfall and flooding.

In February 2021, Calcasieu and Cameron parishes were impacted by the uncharacteristic winter storms that affected many southern states. SWLA experienced frozen power lines, burst water pipes, and iced roads. This caused leaks in the water distribution system, resulting in low or no water pressure in the City of Lake Charles. The significant number of vacant homes and buildings exacerbated the problem.

On May 17, 2021, severe storms and tornados caused flash flooding, with more than 12 inches of rainfall impacting Calcasieu Parish. Quickly rising waters enveloped cars and made roads and neighborhoods unsafe. Over half the roads were under some water. The storm marked the third most rainfall in a single day in Lake Charles’s history — more than fell during either Hurricanes Laura or Delta.

Together, these disasters devastated the region and traumatized residents and business owners of Southwest Louisiana. They emphasized the need to rebuild more resiliently to bolster the region against future storms.