Louisiana governor: Strongest storm to ever strike

The death toll from Hurricane Laura has risen to at least 14, and hundreds of thousands of people across Louisiana are still without power or water.

Officials said that those services could be knocked out for weeks or longer along parts of the Gulf Coast.

Most of the deaths were from trees crashing into homes or from carbon monoxide poisoning tied to generators.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards pleaded with Louisiana residents Friday to refrain from using generators in spaces with poor ventilation.

"We've had five carbon monoxide poisonings," Edwards said. "And that is just an ultra hazardous thing to do."

Laura made landfall as one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever hit the U.S.

Edwards said it was the strongest storm ever to strike the state, even compared to Katrina in 2005.

"I was talking to some individuals here today who've been living here all their lives," he said. "They can never remember hurricane force winds this far in north Louisiana that we experienced yesterday."

Meanwhile, the hurricane's remnants drifted north and threatened to bring flooding and tornadoes to Tennessee.

(Image Credit: AP)