Storm brings fears of Louisiana floods
MOSS BLUFF, LA. >> Heavy rain bands from Harvey lashed southwest Louisiana on Monday, ratcheting up flooding fears as the state’s governor warned of a “dangerous situation” looming.
Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters he expects the threat to rise as outer rain bands sweep into Louisiana, adding, “This is going to play out over several days.”
While Louisiana doesn’t appear to be facing a threat on par with Harvey’s catastrophic toll in Texas, images of flood devastation in Houston revived painful memories for survivors of Hurricane Katrina more than a decade ago.
“It really evoked a lot of emotions and heartbreak for the people who are going through that now in Houston,” Ray Gratia said as he collected sandbags for his New Orleans home, which flooded from the 2005 hurricane that left much of the city underwater for weeks.
Rhonda Wylie loaded sandbags into her car with help of firefighters Monday as rain bands neared New Orleans. Wylie’s home flooded earlier this month during a deluge that exposed problems with the city’s pump and drainage system. New Orleans was on the outskirts of Harvey’s rain bands Monday, but residents are on edge because the pumping system still isn’t working at full capacity.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said a recently repaired pump failed Monday during Harvey’s heavy rains. Landrieu added that most pumps were working, and the city is continuing with efforts to improve the pumping system.