Today Marks 15 Years Since Hurricane Gustav Struck Louisiana

Fifteen years ago today, Hurricane Gustav made landfall along Louisiana's Gulf Coast and brought rain and wind to Acadiana and other parts of South Louisiana. This monster of a storm grew briefly into a category 4 hurricane and brought strong winds and heavy rain to the region. You may also remember Ike followed which was also a category 4 storm. It was a one-two punch for South Louisiana.

In Lafayette, Gustav arrived downed massive trees and power lines. Many homes lost power for days. Heavy rains flooded streets and houses in low-lying areas. Townsquare Media's radio stations broadcasted updates on all seven radio station frequencies throughout the storm. With cell service that was unreliable by today's standards, live phone calls to the KPEL studio helped first responders direct aid to where it was needed in real-time.

On the TV side, KATC meteorologists Rob Perillo and Dave Baker were on the air and brought updates through a very long night of coverage. They looked back during a special five years ago.

In Lafayette, the storm damaged buildings, and some roofs even blew off because of the strong winds. It was a tough time for everyone, but the Acadiana spirit remained strong. Neighbors helped neighbors like they always do. Photos of the aftermath show damage across the region.

Covering The Damage

Aerial photos show flooded farmland just outside of Lafayette. Fencing can be seen blown down with livestock seemingly uncontained after the storm.

New Orleans saw less of an impact, but thousands of homes and businesses were without power for several days.

The description for the photo above was "truck surrounded by water near Lafayette, Louisiana."

The satellite image shows just how big Gustav was as it moved north after landfall. Reported figures show total damage estimates were around $4.3 billion in Louisiana alone.