Hurricane Laura has struck the US state of Louisiana, causing flash floods, severe damage to buildings and power cuts to more than half a million homes.
It is one of the strongest to ever hit the US Gulf Coast, striking at category four with winds up to 240km/h.
Laura's storm surge has not reached the levels feared but is still considered life-threatening, and could spread 65km inland.
Half a million residents had been told to leave parts of Texas and Louisiana.
