Here comes Hurricane Laura
Hurricane Laura hit the coast of Louisiana overnight as a Category 4 storm, bringing hard-hitting winds of up to 150 mph, and the threat of "catastrophic" flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center.
On Wednesday, dealers were bracing for the “rapidly intensifying” Hurricane Laura in the Gulf of Mexico and aiming for the Louisiana-Texas border.
“We’ve been through this before with Hurricane Rita, and have been making all the necessary preparations to serve our communities as long as it is safe for our customers and our associates,” said Dennis Stine, CEO of Stine, operator of 10 stores across Louisiana and 11th in Mississippi.
Stine says the stores will remain open as long as possible for those who are preparing for Hurricane Laura.
The Home Depot has activated its Hurricane Command Center. More than 50 Home Depot stores are potentially in the path of the storm, depending on its changing course.
“Our associates are vital to helping our communities brace for this approaching storm and we’re extremely grateful for their hard work,” said Hector Padilla, president of the Southern Division of The Home Depot. “We’ll continue to hope for minimal impact from this storm as we prioritize the safety of our associates and customers in this extremely active hurricane season.”
The National Hurricane Center is warning that hurricane conditions are spreading inland across southwestern Louisiana. It also warns "catastrophic storm surge, hurricane force winds, and flash flooding will continue this morning [Thursday]."
Lowe's Emergency Command Center was activated virtually in response to Hurricane Laura on Friday. To date, Lowe's has shipped more than 2,400 truckloads of product and emergency supplies to stores in areas that could be impacted.