Two Dead in Water-Logged Louisiana as More Heavy Rains Loom
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – At least two people are dead and more than 1,000 others had to be rescued by boat, high-water vehicles and by air from "unprecedented, historic" floods swamping US state of Louisiana, the governor and authorities said Saturday.
Officials said at least two people had died in the floods. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency as rescue workers in the southeastern part of the state braced for more rain. The state's emergency management office called it a "historic flood event."
In a 24-hour period, Baton Rouge reported as much as 11.34 inches of rain. One weather observer reported to the National Weather Service that 17.09 inches fell in Livingston, Fox News reported.
The Comite River near Baton Rouge and Amite River near Denham Springs, both in Louisiana, were predicted to set record crests over the weekend. Forecaster Alek Krautmann said both rivers could flood many houses in suburban areas near Baton Rouge.
Rescue teams pulled more than 100 pets to safety as well, Edwards told reporters at a news briefing Saturday.
Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo said the governor returned to Louisiana on Friday because of the flooding. Edwards had been in Colorado for a policy meeting of the Democratic Governors Association but left early because of the storm.
A spokeswoman for the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office said one man died Friday after slipping into a flooded ditch near the city of Zachary. Casey Rayborn Hicks identified the victim as 68-year-old William Mayfield. His body was found about noon Friday.
A second victim was found in St. Helena Parish, where crews pulled a body from a submerged pickup on Louisiana Highway 10.
Meanwhile, crews are continuing to search for possibly another washed away vehicle after residents reported a missing person.
Numerous rivers in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi were overflowing their banks and threatening widespread flooding after extreme rainfall that began late Thursday, the National Weather Service reported.
Meteorologist Mike Shields, with the service's Slidell, Louisiana office, said a flash-flood watch remained in effect through Sunday.
