ORANGE COUNTY, Texas — Jefferson County officials are thankful the area saw minimal damage, but in Orange County, thousands are still in the dark Thursday morning.
Orange County Judge John Gothia is looking to lift the mandatory evacuation order placed on the area as soon as county crews assess roads for damages.
The county is believed to be the hardest hit in Southeast Texas by the hurricane winds. Wind gusts were reportedly between 80 and 90 mph, and areas in the county had extensive damage.
Judge Gothia said he’s looking to officially lift the evacuation order by Thursday afternoon or sometime Friday. However, he said those who want to return to their homes won’t be turned away.
“We’re not stopping them anywhere. We’re letting people come back that want to come back. We don’t see a reason to not let them come back,” Judge Gothia said.
Orange County crews have been assessing road damages “since the sun came up.” The judge says his top priority is the safety of citizens.
“What we’re asking them to do is give us a little time, so that we can make sure that it’s safe for them to come back. We want people to be careful,” Judge Gothia said.
Many pictures have been sent to 12News showing the damage in Orange County. Downed power lines, broken trees, mild flooding, roof damages, and debris in the roads have been reported in the area.
“We want them to be extremely extremely careful when they get back into town. We don’t want to lose a life or have an injury after the storm’s passed because of the safety issues that are still out there,” Judge Gothia said.
Photos: Hurricane Laura
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