BATON ROUGE - State agencies continue their efforts to fight and prepare for flooding in communities across Louisiana. Updates from individual agencies are below.
FLOOD FIGHTING EFFORTS
In support of state and parish requirements, the Louisiana National Guard has 1,150 Guardsmen mobilized for this emergency. The Guard continues to maintain and fortify projects, conduct levee monitoring and provide support to local law enforcement agencies and parish officials. Today in support of St. Landry Parish, the Guard is providing aviation support to parish officials to assess current and potential flooding impacts.
Yesterday in support of the parishes in Northeast Louisiana, Guardsmen located 11 new Sand or Pin Boils. Guardsmen have now located and flagged 230 Sand or Pin Boils to date, including 79 in East Carroll, 13 in Madison, 51 in Tensas and 87 in Concordia.
To date, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has delivered 40,221 cubic yards of sand, 40,963 cubic yards of dirt and 290,711 sandbags across the state in support of flood protection efforts.
St. Mary Parish
- Yesterday in St. Mary Parish, LANG engineer teams trained on the operation of water pumps in order to respond in the event of flooding behind flood barriers.
- Also in support of St. Mary Parish, yesterday National Guard teams transported 10,000 linear feet of Tiger Dam materials from Lockport to Amelia.
East Baton Rouge Parish
- DOTD has opened the northbound outside lane on U.S. 190 Business (River Road). The southbound U.S. 190 Business (River Road) from North Third Street to State Capitol Drive in Downtown Baton Rouge remains closed due to high water seepage.
Lafourche Parish
- DOTD deployed 10 dump trucks to the Grand Isle Shipyard in Galliano, Lafourche Parish, in support of flood fortification operations. Additionally, DOTD hauled approximately 500 cubic yards of sand for the Lafourche Levee District in support of its sandbagging efforts.
Concordia Parish
- DOTD hauled six loads or 72 cubic yards of sand to Concordia Parish in support of sandbagging efforts.
West Baton Rouge Parish
- DOTD hauled 131 cubic yards of sand to the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office for sandbagging operations. This brings the total to 585 cubic yards of sand.
- Additionally, today, DOTD hauled approximately 9,300 sandbags from West Baton Rouge Parish in flood fortification efforts in Amelia. This brings the total hauled to date to 48,950 sandbags from West Baton Rouge across the state, including operations in Stephensville, Butte LaRose and Amelia.
East Carroll and Madison Parish
- DOTD has hauled 16,000 sandbags to East Carroll and Madison parishes. To date, DOTD has hauled approximately 252,400 sandbags for flood protection efforts across the affected northern parishes that line the Mississippi River (Tensas, Madison, and East Carroll parishes).
Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
GOHSEP will participate in a preliminary damage assessment in Concordia parish today with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Louisiana National Guard will provide overflight support to the team to allow it to survey damaged structures.
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
LDWF continues to track and respond to reports of wildlife as necessary. In total, there have been 16 reported bear sightings. The Louisiana Black Bear remains on the threatened and endangered species list. For assistance with black bears that may be forced into populated areas by flood waters, LDWF asks the public call 1-800-442-2511 toll free. For assistance with these, or any other wildlife species, that endanger human health or safety, call the following LDWF field offices at:
- Baton Rouge 225-765-2800
- Hammond 985-543-4777
- Monroe 318-343-4044
- New Iberia 337-373-0032
- Opelousas 337-948-0255
- Pineville 318-487-5885
Department of Corrections
DOC offender crews are working sandbagging details in the following parishes: Tensas, Iberville, West Baton Rouge and Assumption. Offender crews have filled/placed more than 538,000 sandbags to date.