NEW ORLEANS — It won’t be a direct hit, but Southeast Louisiana is being as proactive as possible as Hurricane Laura makes landfall. Storm surge and flooding are the concerns for coastal parishes.
“It’s far enough west that we’re going to get some of the elements,” said Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove.
As of Wednesday night, in Terrebonne Parish, 15 of the levee district’s 16 floodgate controls were closed and some roads outside the levee are underwater.
“We’re expecting 5-7 feet of water. The wind right now is coming out of east, southeast,” said Dove.
In lower Lafourche Parish, the main economic highway, LA 1, is underwater and the floodgate in Golden Meadow is locked.
“We’ve started to see these feeder bands blowing and drop some rain in parts of the parish from here actually all the way to Thibodaux,” said Archie Chaisson.
For areas outside of high storm surge, they’re preparing to help folks in Southwest Louisiana. Fifteen deputies from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s office will leave Thursday morning with resources like boats, trucks, chainsaws, and life jackets. They’ll be joined by about 40 deputies from Jefferson Parish and members of The New Orleans swift water rescue team.
“We will be ready to assist our neighbors to the West with rescues, instant management or however we can help,” said New Orleans Emergency Preparedness Director Collin Arnold.
Arnold says the city’s 911 center is also sending dispatchers to Baton Rouge. With concern about flooding in New Orleans, Arnold says his office will be staffed until the threat is over.
“My biggest concern now would be both tonight and really into tomorrow when you have that eastern and southeastern bands coming through after the storm has passed us,” said Arnold.
Meanwhile, evacuees are seeking shelter in hotels around the New Orleans area, organized by the state as a way to find places for people to stay during the COVID pandemic.
“This is all over the state, not just New Orleans,” said Arnold.
From the cities to the bayous, time to prepare is up, as folks now brace for what’s to come.
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