Rain pummels south Louisiana parishes
Rainfall battered Lafayette and nearby parishes Friday, flooding neighborhoods, closing schools and businesses and stranding motorists.
Get ready for more.
The National Weather Service is predicted parts of Lafayette Parish will be hit with an additional 5 to 10 inches of rainfall between midnight and into the afternoon Saturday, according to a release from Lafayette Consolidated Government.
The storms are part of a larger, westward-moving low-pressure system that may continue to bedevil Acadiana through Saturday before tapering off on Sunday and early next week.
“Everyone will see rain,” said one forecaster for the National Weather Service in Lake Charles. “The potential exists for flash flooding anywhere.”
Portions of south Lafayette, including Youngsville, where almost all public roads were closed Friday morning, sustained heavy flooding, driving residents from their homes.
The National Guard was rescuing residents by midday Friday. By early afternoon, about 100 residents were taken to shelters at Green T. Lindon Elementary School and Youngsville Middle School. Flooding water overwhelmed several residences in the Comeaux High School area, as well.
The National Guard continues to evacuate residents from the Highland Ridge neighborhood.
MORE ON THIS STORY: Severe weather canceling local events | Why it's flooding, why the river's flowing upstream | Where to find flood recovery resources | Sandbags available for Lafayette, other parishes through the weekend
Lafayette Mayor-President Joel Robideaux was encouraging emergency responders to bring residents to the Heymann Convention Center where the Red Cross has set up an emergency shelter. No curfew has been put in place, according to Cpl. Paul Mouton with the Lafayette Police Department.
Anyone at Green T. Lindon Elementary School and Youngsville Middle School who needs more permanent shelter should go to the Heymann center on South College Road in Lafayette, he said.
Be prepared to show a driver’s license or other photo ID. Pets are not allowed.
Robideaux also said residents whose homes flooded and have flood insurance should contact their insurance agent. Flood insurance policies have coverage for emergency housing where they will reimburse you for a hotel stay.
Andy Tingler, a National Weather Service forecaster in Lake Charles, said area residents have seen anywhere from 4 to 10 inches of rain in Lafayette, but additional rain — perhaps heavy, in locations — was expected for Friday night.
Tingler said that rain is coming from the east and north: he said storms from Simmsport and Alexandria were expected Friday night. Chance of rain is 80 percent Saturday, he said, 60 percent Sunday.
“Heavy rain may come through tonight,” he said. “If you get caught under one of those heavy bands, it piles up fast.”
The Louisiana National Guard helped local agencies rescue people trapped in homes in Youngsville’s Highland Ridge neighborhood; there, about 100 homes flooded by midday Friday.
Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter said those homes have on average 6-12 inches of water in them because of the heavy rainfall. Water in the street is waist deep.
Other parts of the city are experiencing high water, too, he said.
“We received about 11 inches of rain in three hours,” Ritter said, “And then the rain just continued.”
Ritter and some Youngsville council members rode the streets in city dump trucks Friday morning to assess the flooding, then called the National Guard.
“We saw neighbors assisting each other with boats,” he said, as much as 12-14 inches fell in some spots.
Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Joel Robideaux declared a state of emergency for Lafayette Parish around noon.
Citizens were asked to stay off roadways until further notice. Anyone experiencing flooding in a home should call 911 if they need emergency rescue. Anyone in any emergency situation should call 911.
Lafayette neighborhoods and facilities including Long Plantation and Sawgrass subdivision were being evacuated Friday morning.
A flash flood warning would remain in effect in some portions of Acadiana until around 10 p.m. Friday, he said.
The storm’s effect on the Vermilion River was apparent quickly. The river level was at 13.26 feet at Surrey Street at 4:15 p.m., it was expected to crest at slightly more than 14 feet.
David Cheramie, director of Vermilionville and Bayou Vermilion District, said the river was flowing north at a very high rate, more than 3 ½ feet per second, and is was spilling over its banks.
About 600 of Lafayette Utilities System’s 67,000 electric customers lost power Friday morning, Director Terry Huval said.
The outages are concentrated in south Lafayette in neighborhoods with underground power lines. The water is so high it covers switching cabinets underground.
“Until the water subsides, we can’t inspect the cabinets,” Huval said.
Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center lost power briefly Friday morning, but back-up generators kicked in immediately, a spokesperson from the ER said. There was no disruption of service.
Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Lafayette had an electrical outage Friday morning as well, but back-up generators immediately took over.
Daryl Cetnar, director of communications for Lafayette General Health, said all health center and clinic locations are doing “fine” Friday. The St. Martin Hospital had “a little” water enter the facility and caused the move of one patient to a different room.
“But it didn’t disrupt patient care,” he said.
None of the locations have lost power or had any major problems, Cetnar said.
“Our urgent care centers are a different story,” he said.
The physician was not able to reach the Youngsville center due to flooded roads, so it is closed Friday. The River Ranch and Carencro locations were open Friday and seeing patients.
Tingler said the storm system started in Florida’s Big Bend area and caused flooding there and in Georgia early in the week before heading east toward Mississippi and Louisiana. On Friday, an area from McComb, Miss., to Jennings took the brunt of the slow-moving storm.
The NWS issued flash flood warnings — that means floods were occurring or imminent — in areas that included Vermilion Parish, northwestern St. Martin Parish, northwestern Iberia Parish, southeastern Evangeline Parish, St. Landry Parish, eastern Acadia Parish and Lafayette Parish.
Sandbags were offered throughout the area, although in some places residents were required to fill their own bags. Lafayette sandbag sites included:
- The compost facility, 400 N. Dugas Road
- 1017 Fortune Road in Youngsville
- Blackham Coliseum, 2330 Johnston St. (Temporary, an emergency location)
- Southside Library, 6101 Johnston St. (Temporary, an emergency location)
Several hotels in Lafayette are offering discounted rates for locals who have been displaced by flooding. LafayetteTravel.com has created a special webpage where people can view the deals.
Meanwhile, northern Lafayette cities were faring better early Friday. City Hall personnel in Carencro, Duson and Scott said streets were open, and that the rain had not hampered municipal operations.
All three cities were handing out sandbags:
Carencro: Sandbags were being handed out behind the community center. People are required to fill their own bags.
Duson: Sandbags are available at the sewer plant on Betty Ann Street. Citizens must bag their own.
Scott. Employees are bagging and loading sandbags at 118 Lions Club Road, across from City Hall. Citizens must show proof of residency. Three bags per door.
Iberia Parish President M. Larry Richard declared a state of emergency for Iberia Parish.
Residents were advised to stay in their homes and not get on the roads, as most streets in the parish were either flooded and/or closed.
Vermilion Sheriff Mike Couvillon asked residents in flood-prone areas to monitor the weather and rainfall forecasts closely for the next couple of days and consider temporary evacuation to other areas now in order to avoid the need for rescue.