Gov. John Bel Edwards announced today that 20 parishes are now under a disaster declaration with a “historic flood event” damaging some 40,000 homes and leading to the evacuation of 30,000 people from flood-soaked areas.
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So far 11 people have died, 40,000 homes have been damaged and over 30,000 people rescued since Friday when over one metre of rain fell in 48 hours setting off the worst flooding in Louisiana history. Any little bit helps, and the Red Cross – which is working nonstop to help those who have been displaced by this event – has provided information on how people can donate to Louisiana flood victims.
The NWS said other areas of the United States faced threats of flash floods this week – from the Texas coast all the way up to the Ohio River Valley.
While global wires are reporting eight people are dead, conflicting media reports suggest the number could be as high as 11.
The White House declared four parishes – equivalent to counties in other states – major disaster areas.
In a sign of the housing crunch, Livingston Parish officials are talking with FEMA about getting temporary housing for emergency and rescue workers.
“There’s this thought in my mind, we just need essentials”, Bethany Ash said.
“This part of Louisiana isn’t historically prone to flooding”.
Many municipalities implemented evening curfews to combat the problem, and to allow rescue crews to move freely at night.
“We’ve literally had hundreds of people who’ve brought boats in and have wanted to help”, Edmonson said.
Mr Edwards said there were still around 34,000 households and businesses without electricity in torrid summer heat and humidity – raising concerns of mould in waterlogged buildings.
The trauma was evident among people who went back to their homes. But she said rescues taking place Tuesday were less about saving lives and more about helping people running low on supplies.
“We continue to meet our contractual commitments”, said Exxon’s Lana Venable.
In some places, the water had receded, leaving a coating of mud and cars parked haphazardly wherever their owners managed to leave them, on median strips and even in the middle of moving traffic lanes.
“We are going to have to search and mark each of those cars”, the governor said. The local fisherman run rescue missions through streets that have become rivers to rescue families stranded on rooftops and trapped on highways; forming a “Cajun Navy” of volunteers.
Gonzales flooded only in the last 24 hours, as waters drained south.
As waters begin to recede in parts of Louisiana, some residents struggled to return to flood.
The disaster forced the closure of schools in East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. James and Tangipahoa parishes as well as Louisiana State University.
“We are in as good a shape as you can expect with 70 per cent of our population flooded”, Ramsey said.
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The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office shared footage taken from a helicopter Monday of rescuers saving a man from waist-high floodwater and two others clinging to a tree.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Monday began asking those affected by the floods to apply for assistance, and officials said 11,000 people had already registered early in the day.
