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The category four hurricane made landfall near Cameron at 1am local time. In a tweet, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said: “At 1 am CDT, Hurricane #Laura has made landfall in southwestern Louisiana near Cameron as a category 4 #hurricane.
“Maximum sustained winds were 150 mph, with a minimum central pressure of 938 mb.
“Potentially catastrophic impacts will continue.”
The NHC warned the hurricane could cause an an “unsurvivable storm surge”.
It said: “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.
“This surge could penetrate up to 30 miles inland from the immediate coastline.”
There could be storm surges of more than 20ft (6m), the NHS said.
National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott said: “To think that there would be a wall of water over two storeys high coming on shore is very difficult for most to conceive, but that is what is going to happen.
“The word ‘unsurvivable’ is not one that we like to use, and it’s one that I’ve never used before.”
National Weather Service forecaster David Roth added: “This is one of the strongest storms to impact that section of coastline.
“We worry about that storm surge going so far inland there because it’s basically all marshland north to Interstate 10.
“There is little to stop the water.”
Half a million residents in the path of the storm have been told to evacuate.
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US President Donald Trump urged people to “listen to local officials”.
He tweeted: “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!”
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