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Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he is wary of a COVID-19 spike as displaced Hurricane Laura victims scatter across the state and first-responders and volunteers flow into the most damaged areas to help. The concern comes as more than 300,000 households and businesses remain without power and another 176,000 remain without running water as victims dig out from the damage under a blistering summer sun pushing the heat index to 108. (Hillburn, 8/31)

Large portions of southwestern Louisiana remain without power four days after Hurricane Laura struck the region as the strongest storm on record for this part of the state, with gusts topping 150 mph. Now, the areas hit hardest are dealing with dangerous levels of heat and humidity that could last several more days, according to the National Weather Service. One extreme weather event layered atop another makes the region’s arduous recovery process even more difficult. Many residents are without air conditioning and lack running water while stifling heat, among the most lethal weather hazards, takes hold. (Samenow and Cusick, 8/31)

Air monitoring contractors for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found chlorine above detection limits at nine locations in neighborhoods surrounding the BioLab Inc. chemical plant in Westlake, while an EPA monitoring plane found minimal amounts of three other chemicals as it flew a few hundred feet above the area a few hours after Hurricane Laura moved through, according to an EPA document. (Sneath and Schleifstein, 8/31)