Hurricane Laura: At least 14 killed in US storm

There were 450,000 people without power in Louisiana on Friday

Chris Johnson views destruction at his home in Lake Charles, Louisiana, after Hurricane Laura moved through the state. AP Photo

James Sonya surveys what is left of his uncle's barber shop in Lake Charles, Louisiana. AFP

Latasha Myles and Howard Anderson stand in their living room in Lake Charles, Louisiana. AFP

Downed power lines are seen on Highway 90 after Hurricane Laura passed through Iowa, Louisiana. Reuters

A man looks at damage inside the Capitol One Bank Tower, with its windows blown out. AFP

Escalators in an office building lobby are damaged after Hurricane Laura made landfall in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Bloomberg

A damaged McDonald's sign. Reuters

A police officer picks up a trash can in the street after Hurricane Laura made landfall in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Bloomberg

Two men react near a destroyed house after Hurricane Laura passed through in Lake Charles, Louisiana. AFP

Kathy Shamburger gathers what she can from her first floor apartment that was damaged after Hurricane Laura passed through the area in Lake Charles, Louisiana. AFP

A man checks a damaged building after Hurricane Laura passed through Lake Charles, Louisiana. Reuters

A damaged travel trailer sits among flood water after Hurricane Laura passed through the area in Holly Beach, Louisiana. AFP

Smoke rises from a burning chemical plant after the passing of Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles, Louisiana. AFP

At least 14 people were killed after Hurricane Laura slammed into the southern US states of Louisiana and Texas, authorities and local media said on Friday.

Louisiana's Governor John Bel Edwards confirmed at least 10 people had died in his state, half from using carbon monoxide-producing portable generators indoors in the aftermath of the storm making landfall Thursday.

Four of the remaining deaths were caused by trees falling on people's homes, according to Mr Edwards, while a man drowned after his boat sank in the storm.

There were 464,813 customers without power in Louisiana on Friday, according to the site Poweroutage.us.

Texas ended up being spared the brunt of the hurricane, which has since weakened significantly. Three of the state's four deaths were also reportedly due to carbon monoxide poisoning from generators.

Those victims, all believed to be homeless, had sought shelter in a pool hall in the southeastern town of Port Arthur and carried its generator inside, according to the Beaumont Enterprise.

Local media reported Friday morning that a man died in East Texas, although it is unconfirmed that he was a direct victim of the hurricane.

The CBS affiliate for East Texas said the man was killed when a tree fell on his mobile home in Hemphill.

Earlier Friday, Haiti's civil protection service said 31 people had died due to Hurricane Laura, which blasted the island nation as a tropical storm last weekend before turning into a powerful Category 4 hurricane.