Southeast Texas residents in areas of Galveston and Port Arthur were ordered to evacuate their homes as Hurricane Laura strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday night.

The storm is forecasted to make a landfall Wednesday night as a major Category 3 hurricane with winds of up to 115 mph on eastern Texas.

The mandatory evacuation was signed Tuesday morning as the storm makes its way to Houston.

The mandatory evacuations will be continued until Wednesday night, according to officials. They added that the storm has no certain path with heightened intensity.

City services were suspended at noon local time. The state will be providing buses throughout the area for those residents who have signed up for transportation assistance.

Galveston Mayor Craig Brown said early Tuesday that with the increasing strength of the storm and its uncertainties, they need to take precautions to protect Southeast Texas residents.

"It's imperative that you make plans this morning to secure your homes and move you and your family to safety off the island," Brown was quoted in a report.

Brown urged residents to secure loose items and leave the island immediately. He said to evacuation and leave with all family members and pets.

Orange County, Texas officials also released a mandatory evacuation to its residents.

The county said that first responders will not be able to travel once the winds reach 35 mph.

Residents in Port Arthur, Texas were also under mandatory evacuation orders.

Houston and Harris County officials advised residents to stay off the roads so people evacuating have access to the freeways.

Local officials also said that residents in the path of the storm should fill up their gas tanks and generators right away.

"People are going to be evacuated, either from Port Arthur, from Chambers to Galveston County, to the extent that is called for, to allow them to kind of get through on, going into Wednesday," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was quoted.

Turner said Harvey was more of a rainy day, but this one would be a windy day. He added that they are certainly more prepared then they were three years ago.

"We learned a lot from Hurricane Harvey but you cannot compare Harvey, with what we are dealing in this particular case," Turner said.

Hurricane Laura

Hurricane Laura's track keeps on changing along the Gulf Coast, which makes people guessing for days.

Turner said he woke up on Tuesday to find Laura's track had shifted slightly west and closer to Houston.

City officials said they do not expect Laura to be another Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Strom Imelda. Both caused catastrophic flooding.

But more winds are expected, which could bring a storm surge, structural damage, and power outages.

However, the situation is made harder with the pandemic. Turner told residents to stock up of food, supplies, and PPE.

Turner added that COVID testing might be suspended until after the storm. The city will also be not able to open mass shelters as it used to before.

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