Vernon Parish - What Happened

On Friday, Sept. 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita struck the coastline of Louisiana near the Texas border as a strong Category 3 storm, with sustained winds of 120 mph¹. Rita battered Vernon Parish for more than 24 hours. At the height of the storm, at approximately midnight, areas of the Parish were experiencing sustained winds of 85 to 95 mph. The eye of the hurricane passed through Cameron Parish and Sabine Pass, and then tracked north through Vernon Parish before being downgraded to a tropical storm late Saturday afternoon.  Several tornados were reported throughout the Parish, causing extensive damage to the region’s timber industry.

Vernon Parish became a focal point for residents evacuating from other parishes located near the coastline. According to the Sheriff’s department, more than 2,500 people registered with the parish as evacuees, and an additional 4,000 people were estimated to be staying with friends or relatives within the parish². After the hurricane struck, many parish residents began to evacuate themselves, due to the amount of damage sustained, the loss of power, and the decreased water and sewage capacity in various areas throughout the area.

Approximately 50 percent of the homes and businesses in Vernon Parish received some damage, with 15 percent receiving major damage and 4 to 5 percent being a total loss.  There were no major injuries reported within Vernon Parish as a result of the hurricane.