More Than 20,000 Rescued, 6 Dead From Catastrophic Louisiana Floods; Federal Emergency Declared
(Worthy News) – More than 20,000 Louisiana residents have been rescued from their homes, and 12,000 are in shelters in the wake of historic, devastating flash flooding that led President Barack Obama on Sunday evening to declare a federal emergency in the state, authorities said. At least six people have died in the disaster.
Gov. John Bel Edwards said that 40,000 businesses and homes are without power and that rescue workers are still “bringing people out of homes to safety,” particularly in the hardest-hit areas around Baton Rouge. More than 500 pets have also been rescued, according to authorities.
More than 30 inches of rain fell in southern Louisiana over the past week, causing waterways to surge, Manzo said. The biggest amount was in Watson, which was deluged with 31.4 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. [ Source ]