8-24-20
Residents are fleeing coastal areas in Louisiana as the state braces for a possible hit from consecutive hurricanes. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says the fear is the state could see a heavy storm surge from Marco, now in the Gulf of Mexico, and a second strike from Tropical Storm Laura before water from the first storm recedes. Marco’s intensity is fluctuating. The former hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical storm Sunday night.
SEVERAL ACADIANA PARISHES ARE ISSUING VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS THE DETAILS.
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VERMILLION PARISH ALSO HAS A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION FOR AREAS SOUTH OF GUEYDAN, SOUTH OF L-A 335, WEST OF THE VERMILLION RIVER, AND SOUTH OF ABBEVILLE, BELOW L-A FOURTEEN.
THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM IS MOVING BACK THE START OF SCHOOL TO SEPTEMBER THIRD BECAUSE OF THE TWO STORMS. EVANGELINE PARISH WILL BE DISMISSING STUDENTS TODAY AT NOON AND THEY WILL MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THE REST OF THE WEEK LATER. CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED THROUGH WEDNESDAY WHILE JEFF DAVIS PARISH IS CLOSING THEIR SCHOOLS FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK. THE DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY WITH CLASSES RESUMING ON FRIDAY. NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN IN CROWLEY WILL BE CLOSED TODAY AND TOMORROW WHILE FIRST BAPTIST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN LAFAYETTE WILL CLOSE THROUGH THURSDAY. S-L-C-C AND SOWELA TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARE CLOSING THEIR CAMPUSES TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. U-L LAFAYETTE IS HOLDING CLASSES UNTIL NOON TODAY AND REMOTELY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY HAS MOVED ALL CLASSES ONLINE THIS WEEK.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS THERE WERE EIGHTEEN MORE DEATHS IN THE STATE FROM COVID-NINETEEN. THAT’S THE FEWEST IN THREE WEEKS. THERE ARE SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE MORE CASES OF CORONOVIRUS. THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT HAVE THE NUMBERS YET FOR COVID-NINETEEN HOSPITALIZATIONS IN THE STATE.
ACADIANA HAD SIX MORE DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN. THREE WERE IN VERMILLION PARISH WHILE ACADIA, EVANGELINE AND ST. LANDRY PARISHES HAD ONE EACH. THE REGION HAD THE LOWEST TOTAL OF NEW CASES IN WEEKS WITH FIFTY-ONE. THE TOTAL IS NEARING TWENTY-THREE THOUSAND.
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ONLY HAD TEN NEW CASES INCLUDING SEVEN IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE TOTAL IS CLOSING IN ON ELEVEN THOUSAND. THERE WAS JUST ONE ADDITIONAL DEATH IN THE REGION, WHICH WAS IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH. THE TOTAL IS TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY-NINE.
