Residents in coastal areas of Louisiana, USA, could face weeks without power or water, following the devastating impact of Hurricane Laura.
Hurricane Laura is known to have killed 14 people in Louisiana (pictured) and Texas in the US, 31 in Haiti, and four in the Dominican Republic. Photo: 2020 Getty Images/ AFP
More than 400,000 were without power on Saturday morning and 200,000 without water, officials said.
Governor John Bel Edwards said the devastation and damage stretched all the way to northern parts of Louisiana.
At least 14 people were killed by the storm in the US - 10 in Louisiana, four in Texas.
In Haiti, which was earlier badly hit by storms Marco and Laura, more than 31 people are now reported to have died.
President Donald Trump visited affected areas in Louisiana and Texas on Saturday.
"One thing I know about this state, it rebuilds fast," he told a gathering in Louisiana.
Trump said the loss of life was a "tremendous number", but added that it "could have been a lot worse".
What's the response been?
A vehicle covered in debris after flooding caused by the hurricane in Louisiana. Photo: 2020 Getty Images/ AFP
The White House has declared a major disaster in several parishes in Louisiana - which will mean federal funds can be sent to the hardest-hit areas urgently.
"Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster," a White House statement said.
The Louisiana governor has called Laura "the strongest storm to ever hit Louisiana". It was a category-four hurricane at the time it hit.
"The devastation and damage stretch from south-west Louisiana all the way through north Louisiana, with more than a half a million power outages remaining, tens of thousands of people displaced from their homes and, sadly, at least 10 lives lost," Governor Edwards said in a statement.
Of the 10 people to lose their lives in the state, five died from carbon monoxide poisoning from gas-powered emergency generators, four from trees falling and one from drowning.
In Texas, a man was killed when a tree hit his home, and three people lost their lives in Port Arthur, possibly from carbon monoxide poisoning, officials reported.
About 8,000 homes were possibly destroyed in the two states, according to the Red Cross.
Strong winds and flooding in Louisiana have destroyed thousands of homes. Photo: 2020 Getty Images/ AFP
There was more structural damage from winds than anticipated, but the water damage was less than feared.
Some 1500 people, including National Guard troops, are being deployed in rescue and clean-up missions.
Lauren Sylvester, a resident of Lake Charles, Louisiana, followed orders to evacuate.
She returned to her house on Friday to see power lines and trees strewn around the streets.
"It's still an incredible amount of damage," she told AP news agency.
Lawrence "Lee" Faulk had a similar experience - he found his home in Cameron Parish with no roof on.
"We need help," Mr Faulk told CBS news. "We need ice, water, blue tarps - everything that you would associate with the storm, we need it. Like two hours ago."
During his trip, Trump met with those involved in relief efforts.
In Lake Charles, Trump said "come here fellas, I want a little power", before autographing pieces of paper. He handed one to a law officer and said: "Here sell this tonight on Ebay, you'll get $10,000".
What other areas have suffered?
The death toll in Haiti has risen by 10 to 31 and eight people are missing, the country's civil protection service said. More than 6000 homes were flooded in the country.
Four people are known to have died in neighbouring Dominican Republic.
Cuba suffered damage but did not record any deaths.
In Jamaica, there were reports of landslides and flooded roads.
The US territory of Puerto Rico was also hit.
- BBC
