Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency across the state of Louisiana in response to extreme flooding in the region.
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“This is a serious event”.
And at least one guy chose to use the flooding as an opportunity to show off his Olympic spirit.
Emergency officials were still working on strategies to rescue an undetermined number of other people trapped by the waters, Edwards said. He said two nursing homes in that area were being evacuated. Doug Cain, spokesman of the Louisiana State Police, said about 125 vehicles became stranded on the 11-kilometre stretch, prompting those rescues.
One of those motorists was Alex Cobb of Baton Rouge, who has been stuck since around 11am Saturday morning (1am AEST).
Once on higher ground people and animals could finally breathe a sigh of relief, but thousands still wait to see if they’ll even have a home once the water recedes and over five thousand wait in shelters.
The body of a 40-year-old woman was recovered Saturday afternoon.
The mood is surprisingly upbeat but she emphasized that people “want water”.
“We know there were people last night that didn’t have cots, that had to sleep on the floor”, said Marketa Walters, the head of the Department of Child and Family Services.
“We woke up and the water kept on coming”, Hansford said.
In an episode captured on video, a man jumped off a boat, ripped the roof of a convertible sports auto and pulled a woman and her small dog out as the vehicle sank. The woman, who’s not initially visible on camera, yells from inside the auto: “Oh my god, I’m drowning”.
But the rescue isn’t over, and the man goes under the water to find the woman’s dog.
More than 30 seconds have passed since the vehicle disappeared beneath the water, and it seems increasingly likely that the dog has been lost in the floodwaters. Even more people were staying in private shelters like churches. An additional 20 will be transferred shortly as a precautionary measure.
Reached by telephone, she said she was on her way to a bridal shower she was supposed to host Saturday when flooding closed off the highway.
Mike Steele of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness said Sunday morning that there was an overnight spike in flood rescues in eastern Baton Rouge.
An elderly man drowned yesterday after slipping and falling in high waters amid heavy rain in East Baton Rouge Parish.
“Maybe she’s gone”, another man on the boat says. “Every available resource will be used to assist citizens as this situation continues to unfold”, Edwards said in a statement on the Governor’s website. He said he has Stage 4 cancer but he felt like he had to help.
Edmonson said 911 is still the best option for people who need help.
Louisiana has always been been considered extremely vulnerable to flooding events like this by scientists, who note that a confluence of rising seas and low lying land put residents in long term danger of losing their land.
While the brunt of the storm that brought torrential rains and flooding to the area was moving west Sunday toward Texas, Louisiana residents should remain cautious, the governor said at a news conference. Rain continued to fall on Saturday and according to NBC News, forecasters predict that parts of Louisiana could continue to see heavy rain well into next week.
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The rains prompted Edwards to declare a state of emergency and ask the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a federal disaster declaration.
