Hurricane Laura forces hundreds of thousands to evacuate Gulf Coast

More than 385,000 residents were told to flee the Texas cities of Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur, and another 200,000 were ordered to leave low-lying Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana, where forecasters said as much as 13 feet (3.96 meters) of storm surge topped by waves could submerge whole communities.

Hurricane Laura forms; projected to strengthen before Gulf Coast landfall

Laura became a hurricane on Tuesday morning as it entered the warm and deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, gathering strength on a path to hit the U.S. coastline early Thursday as a major hurricane that could unleash a surge of seawater higher than a basketball hoop and swamp entire towns.

U.S. Coast Guard veteran celebrates 100th birthday in New Orleans

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) veteran who served in World War II turned 100 years of age in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 27, and his birthday was marked with a parade of cars, music, cheering from friends and family, and tributes from USCG officials.