Friday, August 12, 2016

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency for the entire state as a result of heavy rain and widespread flooding.










Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency for the entire state as a result of heavy rain and widespread flooding. (KTRK)

Updated 1 hr 44 mins ago
BATON ROUGE, LA -- Heavy rain has sparked dangerous flash flooding in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi this morning.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency for the entire state.

Edwards said in a news release Friday state officials are in constant contact with local officials, and assistance is already on the move to affected parishes.

Mike Steele of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says requests are coming for high-water vehicle, boats and sandbags.

Steele said Tangipahoa Parish alone has requested tens of thousands of sandbags.

Numerous rivers in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi are spreading beyond of their banks, threatening widespread flooding after extreme rainfall.

The Comite River near Baton Rouge and Amite River near Denham Springs in Louisiana are predicted to set record crests over the weekend.