At least five people have died in the flooding, including a woman whose auto was washed away Saturday night when she tried to turn around in high water, CNN reported, quoting officials in East Baton Rouge.
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Thousands have been evacuated to shelters; however, some shelter locations were also hit by the floods and many residents were displaced.
On Sunday night, President Barack Obama granted Edwards’ request for an emergency declaration to assist in response and recovery efforts.
As of Monday, the rain had mostly stopped, but rivers and creeks in many areas were dangerously bloated and new places were being inundated with water.
According to ABC News, more than 30 inches of rain fell in southern Louisiana over the past week.
John Bel Edwards, governor of Louisiana, said the flooding was unprecedented, with 12,000 people staying in shelters.
The Comite River receded back below flood stage Monday, and parts of the Amite River were falling, although still remaining well above flood stage.
While torrential rains were expected to ease in flood-ravaged Louisiana on Monday, forecasters warned the threat was far from over.
Anna Johnson, who took photos of the macabre scenes, described the freak flooding as “worse than Hurricane Katrina” – the 2005 disaster that wreaked havoc in the state, particularly in New Orleans.
In Denham Springs, 19km east of Baton Rouge, coffins unearthed by the rains floated down the streets.
Matthew and Rachel Fitzpatrick were brought to a church that had become a shelter by helicopter and told The Associated Press there were between 250 and 300 people still there Sunday. On Sunday, Edwards asked for federal assistance to pay for emergency operations and overtime.
“The flooding isn’t over, because all the water that’s upstream has to flow downstream”, meteorologist Kevin Roth said.
In Plaquemines Parish, officials said two airboat teams working in East Baton Rouge rescued more than 200 people and pets over a 24-hour period.
Retired LSU football and basketball announcer Jim Hawthorne has been rescued from his Baton Rouge home amid catastrophic flooding in southern Louisiana.
“This is the first time I’ve flown inland SAR”, he said.
L.t.j.g. Gottenberg said the weather presented an ongoing problem as well.
The service forecast the river would not fall below flood level until Wednesday morning.
Louisiana Army National Guard members rescue people from rising waters near Walker on Sunday. The woman, who’s not initially visible on camera, yells from inside the auto: “Oh my god, I’m drowning”.
Sterling’s aunt, Sandra Sterling, was among those who volunteered to go house by house, by boat, to evacuate stranded people. When she tries to dive under for her dog, the rescuer goes underwater and reappears holding the animal.
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Flooding has mainly been focused around Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes, such as Tangipahoa where at least two bodies were discovered in the flood water, according to WBRZ.
