Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Louisiana, Mississippi: Thousands of homes damaged in floods




 

(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis). Caution tape closes off this neighborhood in Drew, Miss., Friday, March 11, 2016, as floodwaters have affected areas in the Delta. The flooding has affected the Delta to varying degrees. Additional rain is expected to conti... Posted: Mar 14, 2016 9:02 AM EST Updated: Mar 14, 2016 9:02 AM EST

 


(AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld). A car sits in flooded water at Nash's Express convenience store in Hammond, La., Friday, March 11, 2016. Torrential rains pounded northern Louisiana for fourth day Friday, trapping several hundred people in their homes, leav...

 


(AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld). Rowdy the dog finds refuge on an office chair in Harvey Cook's flooded home in Hammond, La., Friday, March 11, 2016, after heavy rains caused low areas to flood. Torrential rains pounded northern Louisiana for fourth day Fri...

 


(AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld). Kelly Bittola, left, and her daughter, Lauren Bittola move a dog house to higher ground after their own house flooded in Hammond, La., Friday, March 11, 2016. Torrential rains pounded northern Louisiana for fourth day Friday...

 


(AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld). Flood waters rise under the windowsill of the Hammond Boys and Girls Center on Friday, March 11, 2016 in Hammond, La., Torrential rains pounded northern Louisiana for fourth day Friday, trapping several hundred people in th...
By CAIN BURDEAU
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Widespread flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi has damaged thousands of homes, and the risk of rising water prompted additional evacuations Sunday.

At least four deaths have been reported in Louisiana amid the flooding that began last week, and the National Guard has rescued nearly 3,300 residents. Two fishermen have been missing for days in Mississippi.

Flood warnings were in effect across the region as many rivers remained dangerously high. Also of concern was another line of thunderstorms that hit parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, northern Louisiana and northern Mississippi on Sunday night, bringing more rain and reports of tornadoes in Arkansas.

"At this point, any rain will aggravate the flooding situation," Davyon Hill, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, said.

Downpours - part of a system that affected Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama - have submerged roads and cars, washed out bridges and forced residents to flee homes.

In Louisiana, emergency officials said more than 4,958 homes were damaged. That number is expected to rise as more reports come in from areas still battling floodwaters. Mississippi reported that 185 homes were damaged by floodwaters and about 650 homes sustained minor damage.

On Sunday, President Barack Obama signed an order declaring the flooding in Louisiana a major disaster. The president's declaration triggers federal aid for flood victims.

Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said he was worried that many flood victims had not purchased flood insurance.

"A lot of these people I spoke to did not have flood insurance because they had never flooded before," Nungesser said in a telephone interview.

He warned that residents may not get federal disaster aid if they didn't have insurance. "It's not going to be the open check book," he added.

Authorities in Louisiana's Natchitoches Parish said Harold Worsham, 78, drowned while trying to flee floodwaters on Saline Bayou. The sheriff's office said Worsham was in a boat that capsized as he and two others were moving items from a home onto an aluminum boat. At least three others have died in the state.

On Sunday, Mississippi officials said they were still looking for two missing fishermen but had no reports of injuries or deaths there.

Flooding on rain-swollen rivers remained a major concern.

It's the most widespread non-hurricane flooding the Louisiana National Guard has ever dealt with, said Col. Pete Schneider, a guard spokesman.

The National Guard said it had about 1,400 soldiers and air crews at work in flooded areas throughout Louisiana, deploying in high-water vehicles, boats and three helicopters. By Sunday morning, National Guard crews had evacuated more than 3,295 people and 316 pets as part of its round-the-clock operations.

Sunday night, officials said reports of a breached levee prompted evacuations in a rural northeastern Louisiana community, but residents were allowed to return to their homes after flooding was less severe than expected.

Caldwell Parish Sheriff's Deputy Jack McKeithen said the department began evacuating residents in rural Hebert, a community of between 1,500-2,000 residents, after receiving word Sunday evening that a levee was topped and 2-4 feet of water could be headed for the area.

McKeithen told The Associated Press that after authorities realized several hours later the influx of water would be far less severe, residents were allowed back.

In the adjacent Richland Parish, Director of Homeland Security Dawn Williams told The News-Star the parish jail was evacuated as a precaution.

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