Hurricane Laura slams Louisiana, kills four, but less damage than forecast

Hurricane Laura ripped through Louisiana on Thursday, destroying buildings in towns across the southwestern corner of the state and killing four people who were crushed by falling trees as they sheltered in their homes, officials said. Still, the damage Laura has inflicted so far is less than what forecasters predicted. "This was the most powerful storm to ever make landfall in Louisiana," Governor John Bel Edwards said at an afternoon press conference. "It`s continuing to cause damage and life-threatening conditions."