Heavy rain from Harvey intensifies Louisiana flooding fears

MOSS BLUFF, La. — Bands of heavy rain from Harvey lashed southwest Louisiana on Monday, and the state’s governor said potential flooding could pose a “dangerous situation.”

Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters he expects the potential for flood damage to increase as the rain continued to pummel the area.

“We do have a long way to go with this particular storm,” he said. “This is going to play out over several days.”

The state hadn’t received any reports of flood damaged homes, but there were already some impassible roads in southwest Louisiana, Edwards said.

“I have a hard time believing you have as many streets closed as we do without having some damage out there,” Edwards said.

Floodwaters covered roads and crept toward homes in Brenda Bradley’s neighborhood in Moss Bluff, a Lake Charles suburb in Calcasieu Parish. Bradley, 72, and her husband, Jimmie, had stacked sandbags at their doors. The rising water was lapping at the steps to their back porch Monday morning.

“We’ve got to try to save what we can,” Bradley said. “We’re in our 70s, and there’s no way we can lift all (our) furniture up.”

President Donald Trump issued a federal emergency declaration on Monday for five parishes in southwest Louisiana: Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Vermillion. More areas can be added later.

A White House statement says the action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts.

The declaration also authorizes the federal government to cover 75 percent of costs of certain emergency protective measures.

Edwards requested the declaration in a letter to the White House on Sunday.

“Significant lifesaving efforts such as search and rescue, transportation to shelters, logistical support, and shelter operations will be particularly needed in parts of southwest Louisiana and can be supported by the federal government with an emergency declaration,” the governor wrote.

The Louisiana National Guard had staged highwater vehicles and boats but hadn’t had to deploy any on search and rescue in southwest Louisiana, Edwards said Monday.

About 20 people, including eight from Texas, spent the night in a shelter in Rapides Parish, Edwards said.

In New Orleans, residents arrived at fire stations across the city Monday to get sandbags for their homes as outer bands of heavy rain from Harvey began heading east from Houston.

The city’s pump and drainage system is still not working at full capacity.