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| Louisiana flooding cuts off roads and thousands of homes | Louisiana flooding cuts off roads and thousands of homes |
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| Emergency crews plucked motorists from cars stranded by high water along a seven-mile stretch of highway in southern Louisiana and pulled others from inundated homes and waist-deep waters, conducting at least 2,000 rescues. | |
| Pounding rains swamped parts of south-east Louisiana, leaving whole subdivisions and shopping centres looking isolated by flood waters, which have claimed at least three lives. | |
| John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana governor, declared a state of emergency, calling the floods unprecedented and “historic”. He and his family were forced to leave the governor’s mansion when chest-high water filled the basement and electricity was turned off. | |
| “That’s never happened before,” said the governor, whose family relocated to a state police facility in the Baton Rouge area. | “That’s never happened before,” said the governor, whose family relocated to a state police facility in the Baton Rouge area. |
| The governor toured flood-ravaged areas by helicopter on Saturday after rivers and creeks burst their banks. He warned Louisiana residents it would be too risky to venture out even after the rains start to subside. | |
| In addition to the three confirmed deaths, at least one person was missing, according to Edwards. | |
| One of the worries, the governor said, is that as the rain lessens in the next several hours, people will become complacent and feel too at ease in areas where waters may still be rising for several days, getting in cars in areas that could still be dangerous. | One of the worries, the governor said, is that as the rain lessens in the next several hours, people will become complacent and feel too at ease in areas where waters may still be rising for several days, getting in cars in areas that could still be dangerous. |
| “I’m still asking people to be patient. Don’t get out and sightsee,” Edwards said. “Even when the weather is better, it’s not safe.” | “I’m still asking people to be patient. Don’t get out and sightsee,” Edwards said. “Even when the weather is better, it’s not safe.” |
| In one rescue on Saturday, two men on a boat pulled a woman from a car that was almost completely underwater. The woman, who was not initially visible in a video of the rescue, yelled from inside the car: “Oh my God, I’m drowning.” | |
| One of the rescuers, David Phung, jumped into the brown water and pulled the woman to safety. She pleaded with Phung to get her dog, but he could not find it. After several seconds, Phung took a deep breath, went underwater and resurfaced – with the small dog. Both the woman and the dog appeared OK. | |
| Elsewhere, rescues continued late on Saturday, including missions by crews in high-water vehicles who pulled motorists from one swamped stretch of Interstate 12 between Baton Rouge and nearby Tangipahoa Parish. Major Doug Cain, spokesman of the Louisiana state police, said about 125 vehicles became stranded on the seven-mile stretch. | |
| In the Livingston Parish city of Denham Springs, a suburb of Baton Rouge, entire shopping centres were inundated, with only roofs of cars peeking above the water. In many places, the water was still rising. | |
| Although the governor’s office said on Saturday that more than 1,000 people had been rescued, that number appeared to at least double by the end of the day, when Livingston’s sheriff Jason Ard said 2,000 people in his parish alone had been rescued, and more people still await help. | Although the governor’s office said on Saturday that more than 1,000 people had been rescued, that number appeared to at least double by the end of the day, when Livingston’s sheriff Jason Ard said 2,000 people in his parish alone had been rescued, and more people still await help. |
| “We haven’t been rescuing people. We’ve been rescuing subdivisions,” he said. “It has not stopped at all today.” | “We haven’t been rescuing people. We’ve been rescuing subdivisions,” he said. “It has not stopped at all today.” |
| In Baker, just north of Baton Rouge, residents were rescued by boats or waded through waist-deep, water to reach dry ground. Dozens awoke on Saturday morning at a makeshift Red Cross shelter only a few blocks from their flooded homes and cars. | In Baker, just north of Baton Rouge, residents were rescued by boats or waded through waist-deep, water to reach dry ground. Dozens awoke on Saturday morning at a makeshift Red Cross shelter only a few blocks from their flooded homes and cars. |
| Shanita Angrum, 32, said she called 911 on Friday morning when she realised flood waters had trapped her family in their home. A police officer carried her six-year-old daughter, Khoie, on his back while she and her husband waded behind them for what “felt like forever.” | Shanita Angrum, 32, said she called 911 on Friday morning when she realised flood waters had trapped her family in their home. A police officer carried her six-year-old daughter, Khoie, on his back while she and her husband waded behind them for what “felt like forever.” |
| “Snakes were everywhere,” she said. “The whole time I was just praying for God to make sure me and my family were OK.” | “Snakes were everywhere,” she said. “The whole time I was just praying for God to make sure me and my family were OK.” |
| Beginning on Friday, six to 10 inches (15-25cm) of rain fell on parts of Louisiana and several more inches of rain fell on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Some areas got even more rain. In a 24-hour period, Baton Rouge had as much as 11 inches while one weather observer reported more than 17 inches in Livingston. | Beginning on Friday, six to 10 inches (15-25cm) of rain fell on parts of Louisiana and several more inches of rain fell on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Some areas got even more rain. In a 24-hour period, Baton Rouge had as much as 11 inches while one weather observer reported more than 17 inches in Livingston. |
| Forecasters expected a turn to the north on Sunday by the system, warning portions of central and northern Louisiana could see heavy rain into next week. | Forecasters expected a turn to the north on Sunday by the system, warning portions of central and northern Louisiana could see heavy rain into next week. |
| Mississippi’s governor, Phil Bryant, declared a state of emergency for several counties in his state as it also battled the heavy rainfall. | Mississippi’s governor, Phil Bryant, declared a state of emergency for several counties in his state as it also battled the heavy rainfall. |