Radio Digs In To Keep Listeners Safe As #HurricaneLaura Strikes Texas/Louisiana Coastline, With Warnings Of 'Unsurvivable Storm Surge'

#HurricaneLaura Pounding Destruction (Photo: Weather Channel)

As NOAA forecasters predicted, #HURRICANELAURA, at one point, a Category 4 hurricane with 130-156 mph winds, hit land overnight, wreaking havoc inland with what forecasters are calling "an unsurvivable storm surge" that will cause widespread flooding up to 40 miles inland. The massive destruction totaling many, many millions of dollars and potential loss of life could represent one of the strongest storms ever in the region.

LAURA, now a Category 2 hurricane, struck the TEXAS/LOUISIANA coast early this morning (8/27) morning and prompted hurricane and storm surge warnings for the GULF COAST. A storm surge warning is in effect from FREEPORT, TX, to the mouth of the MISSISSIPPI RIVER in southeast LOUISIANA, including GALVESTON BAY and areas inside the PORT ARTHUR, TX, hurricane flood protection system according to WEATHER.COM. 

Nearly 400,000 homes and businesses are currently without power and Tropical storm warnings extend into the rest of the HOUSTON metro area, parts of NORTHEAST TEXAS, NORTHERN LOUISIANA and SOUTHERN ARKANSAS.

TOWNSQUARE MEDIA Top 40/Rhythmic KHXT (HOT 107.9)/LAFAYETTE, LA Brand Mgr./morning co-host DJ DIGITAL and his crew rode out HURRICANE LAURA locked in at the studios. They remained on-air to talk LAFAYETTE through the storm. Proud of his team and the service they provided to the community, DIGITAL commented, "Radio f'n matters, man."

LAFAYETTE itself took damage as the storm passed through, including the eight-story JEFFERSON TOWER building in downtown LAFAYETTE that lost at least 10 windows.

CUMULUS Hot AC VP/Programming and Top 40 KRBE/HOUSTON PD LESLIE WHITTLE told ALL ACCESS, "ROULA & RYAN are covering the approach all morning with extended coverage during the day. We will simulcast with our TV partner KHOU overnight as the storm hits. Then ROULA & RYAN pick it up again TOMORROW (8/27) morning. Thankfully in HOUSTON we're actually not expecting to see much damage except for some power outages. However BEAUMONT, TX and LAKE CHARLES, LA are going to get hit hard."

CUMULUS Urban KTCX (MAGIC 102.5)/BEAUMONT, TX PD KELLY MAC told ALL ACCESS, “BEAUMONT was spared for the most part and we are so thankful. Our TV/News affiliate evacuated, so we were left to do our own updates, news coverage & breaking news segments.   

While other stations went to a nonstop news format during the storm, we remained on air & online informing our audience with play by play info.  Fortunately, all 4 of our stations were live on air TODAY & ready for whatever is next.  We send our prayers, thoughts & well wishes to the LAKE CHARLES family who experienced to brunt of the storm.  

MAC played the weather girl role for the 1st time ever for all three stations she posted on INSTAGRAM. 

ALL ACCESS is standing by to continue reporting on how radio is coping with these storms and how they are informing the community as they deal with heavy winds, storm surges, and lot of heavy rain in the affected areas.

If you have information to share with ALL ACCESS about your preparations and programming during these storms, please, click here.

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