‘Out of nowhere’: Lake Area picks up the pieces after unexpected storm

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - One day after a severe storm rolled through Lake Charles leaving thousands in the dark, people are still cleaning up the path of destruction left in its wake.

Residents say they just want a break from the seemingly constant severe weather.

“This is devastating. I just can’t believe that this happened again,” said Stephanie Houston.

Lake Charles residents near Casa Mañana are left picking up the pieces once again.

“Out of nowhere, I just can’t believe that after we went through the hurricane, we had no kind of warning and this happens again,” Houston said.

A tree collapsed into Houston’s neighbor’s home. Those homeowners are still living in Texas, waiting for the repairs from the 2020 hurricanes to be completed on their now-uninhabitable home.

“Man I just feel bad for the McCains, you know. They’re just trying to get back home and this is something that’s gonna keep them away a little farther,” she said.

Just one street over, Jason Baptiste was met with damage when he showed up to work at Casa Mañana.

“Knocked down this tree, took down the gate there at the Casa Mañana restaurant on Ryan Street,” Baptiste said.

He said he’s thankful that the damage was not as extensive as past storms, but that it seems every time the area see’s a glimmer of hope, they are met with yet another round of damaging severe storms.

“Just when we get to have that type of gorgeous weather like that, then we have something like this that occurs,” he said.

The Lake Area residents we spoke with say they are glad that nobody was hurt in the storms.

They’re hoping for a speedy recovery for anybody whose property sustained damage.

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