2 Shelters Opening In North Texas For Hurricane Laura Evacuees

MESQUITE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Two shelters are opening up in North Texas for residents fleeing Hurricane Laura, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday.

Laura became a hurricane Tuesday morning and is expected to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday over Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana as a powerful hurricane.

Hundreds of thousands of people have already been ordered to evacuate coastal areas in Texas and Louisiana.

During a news conference, Abbott mentioned four shelters that would be opening throughout the state, including two in North Texas that are expected to open at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Those two shelters are at the Mesquite Reception Center at 15515 E. I-20 in Mesquite and the Knights of Columbus Hall at 850 S. I-45 in Ennis (Ellis County).

The other two shelters are in Austin at Circuit of the Americas and San Antonio at 254 Gembler Road.

“Hurricane Laura is rapidly intensifying and poses a major threat to communities in Southeast Texas and along the coast,” Abbott said. “Texans in the path of this storm should waste no time preparing for the impact of Hurricane Laura and take immediate action to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. I urge our Southeast and coastal communities to heed the guidance of local officials, follow evacuation orders, and remain vigilant as we brace for the impact of Hurricane Laura. The State of Texas will continue to monitor this storm and provide the resources needed to keep Texans safe.”