Hurricane Laura hits Gulf Coast as an “extremely dangerous” storm

The storm barreled toward Texas and Louisiana during the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The National Hurricane Center warned that Hurricane Laura will cause “life-threatening storm surge” reaching up to 40 miles inland and rising up to 20 feet as the storm made landfall in Texas and Louisiana.

Laura reached the Gulf Coast after midnight on Thursday morning at an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 strength, with winds reaching 140 mph. After landfall, it weakened to a still dangerous Category 2 storm.

During a Wednesday news conference, Louisiana Gov. John Bel...