Trump issues disaster declaration ahead of Louisiana visit

President Trump issued a disaster declaration for Louisiana late Friday night ahead of his trip to the state this weekend to survey damage from Hurricane Laura.

The action makes federal funding available for the handful of Louisiana parishes that were in the direct path of the storm.

“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,” according to a White House statement.

Laura, a Category 4 hurricane upon landfall, is thought to be the strongest hurricane to hit Louisiana, even stronger than Katrina in 2005.

The massive storm came ashore Thursday, bringing with it sustained wind speeds of 150 miles per hour.

Trump said Thursday that he plans to travel to Louisiana and Texas this weekend to survey damage from the storm.

The Associated Press reported that the death toll from the storm stands at 14, with more than half of the deaths coming from carbon monoxide poisoning from the use of generators.

The Louisiana Department of Health has reported that more than 220,000 residents are without water, something that is expected to take weeks, if not months, to fully restore.