TERREBONNE PARISH, La. — Officials in Terrebonne Parish have been inspecting levees for the better part of the day Tuesday in anticipation of tidal surge from Hurricane Laura.
There is a mandatory evacuation south of the Morganza levee system and a voluntary evacuation suggested in Pointe-Aux-Chene.
The flood gate off Highway 56 and down the road in Cocodrie is set to close about 6 p.m. to protect the area from expected storm surge.
Johnny Dupre has lived in the area a long time and he knows hurricanes.
“We’ve seen enough of them,” he said matter of factly.
Dupre said he used to live by the Boudreaux Canal but 40 years ago he moved further inland to Chauvin.
He said he moved there to get away from all of the high water from hurricanes, but he said he isn’t concerned about Laura.
“Not at all,” he said.
Eloise Dupre was showing off her windmill Tuesday. It’s something she brought home from Texas after evacuating for Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
She had all of her outdoor chairs tied up and out of the way several days ago in anticipation of Hurricane Marco. Now she’s keeping an eye on Laura.
“I feel safe,” she said. “If it was coming towards Morgan City, I wouldn’t be here talking to you, I’d be gone.”
But given Laura’s trajectory and what she said are improvements to the levee system, she is fairly confident she’ll do just fine.
“I don’t think we have to worry about water getting in our houses, maybe the roads. Past the floodgates they may be in trouble but on this side of the floodgates, I think we’re pretty secure.”