National Guard Activated To Aid North Louisiana Flood Victims
I think we are all just about ready for the rain to stop and the sun to come shining through. Let's hope the weekend forecast will offer us that break from all the rain. Just about every portion of the state has seen significant rainfall over the past three days.
Some areas of the state have gone beyond significant amounts of rain into the ridiculous amount of rain category. Unofficial rainfall totals in the Monroe area are suggesting there has been as much as 20 inches of rain that has fallen over the past few days.
The northern parishes of our state along and north of the I-20 corridor have been affected the most by the heavy rains. So much so that Governor John Bel Edwards has made disaster declarations for those areas that have been hardest hit.
I just want everyone to understand this is a very serious weather incident. I have declared an emergency in 22 parishes now and I think there are another four or six that are requesting declaration thereto.
The Governor has also activated 750 members of the Louisiana National Guard to assist victims who have been affected by the rising water. These Guardsmen will be in place to assist local emergency responders who are called to rising water and high water rescues.
Three people in Louisiana have lost their lives to the current flooding situation. Among the lives lost was that of a 6 year old girl. The girl's death came about after her mother lost control of the vehicle she was driving. Another victim a 22 year old male drowned when the car he was driving was swept off the roadway by floodwaters.
Governor Edwards plans to tour portions of North Louisiana today to assess the situation and the damage first hand. Authorities are encouraging motorist to stay off the roadways if possible. The forecast does call and end to the rain across the state over the weekend.