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The flooding that inundated Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes is expected to have no effect on local waterways at this point, forecasters maintain.
Some flooding was reported in upper Lafourche Parish Monday, but forecasters said any rise in water may have been due to local rainfall, with no connection to the devastation in Livingston, Tangipahoa and other northerly parishes. Sandbags were distributed at the Chackbay fair grounds and in Thibodaux.
Neither the Mississippi nor the Atchafalaya rivers figure into the major flooding events near Baton Rouge, and both were reported below flood stage.
But the Great 2016 Flood has affected hearts and minds in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, where churches, public agencies and motivated individuals have found ways to help those in need.
Students and parents at Houma Christian School spread the word Sunday that they were gearing up for a massive relief effort in Baton Rouge and other points north.
Junior high Bible teacher Tina Trosclair said that by Thursday her students will be among those heading to help in full force.
“We will be feeding people and bringing supplies to them,” Trosclair said. “it’s what we are trying to teach our students, that today we can help others and tomorrow we may need help. So many of them now are thinking of what they can do.”
Houma Christian, affiliated with Living Word Church, is still collecting baby formula and baby food, diapers, water, canned meats, bleach, buckets, sponges and other cleaning supplies.
Donations are being accepted by the school, at 109 Valhi Boulevard.
Students and other volunteers will not just be distributing donations, they will also be cooking, with the goal of distributing 1,000 hamburgers by the weekend. Volunteers from the church were among those already in place by Monday with boats to aid evacuees. Other volunteers from throughout the bayou region played similar roles through the disastrous weekend and into the first part of the week.
Lafourche Parish President Jimmy Cantrelle said donations are being accepted through this week for distribution.
“Through a coordinated effort with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office and the City Of Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish is pleased to assist our neighbors in need,” said Cantrelle, who advised that donations will be accepted at the government building in Mathews, 4876 Highway 1 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice.
The Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government and the Terrebonne Parish Fire Chief’s Association is working with the United Way for South Louisiana to collect donations, which will be accepted at least through Thursday at various local fire stations. Monetary donations can be made through the United Way of South Louisiana at 985-879-2461.
Coordinators of aid efforts said one suggestion from would be contributors – gift cards from stores like Walmart, are not advised.
“Their Walmarts are closed,” Trosclair noted.
Short supplies during the weekend on some local Walmart shelves caused some panicky posts on social networking pages, but empty shelves at some of the retail giant’s local outlets was caused by flooding at its Robert, La. hub, and not related to the ability of trucks with goods for various stores here to reach their destinations.
State Rep. Beryl Amadee, R-Houma, made some direct inquiries on that matter after seeing posts on Facebook.
Terrebonne Parish emergency director Earl Eues confirmed late Sunday that Houma and other local communities are reachable by cargo and gasoline trucks, and that shortages were not expected.
“Interstate 59 is open and I-10 from New Orleans to US 90 to Houma is open,” Eues said. “Interstate-10 to Baton Rouge is open but being diverted to US 61. Trucks are able to get into our area.”
Pickups – many of them – made their way from Lafourche and Terrebonne to Baton Rouge throughout the weekend, towing boats behind them for use in rescues.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was coordinating boat rescues and aid expeditions on the waters, along with ground-based distribution of goods.
Among independent volunteers traveling to flood-stricken areas was Houma bail bondsman Tim Fanguy.
“I am bringing 70 cases of water and food,” Fanguy said. “We have two truckloads and two boats. I have a lot of friends that’s hurting up there.”
Four 2 ½ ton cargo trucks were sent to New Iberia by Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter. Lafourche Sheriff Craig Webre sent water patrol deputies and boats, and fire departments throughout the Bayou Region sent personnel and rescue boats.
Even without direct local effects, Terrebonne Parish officials stayed busy throughout the weekend just making sure.
Parish President Gordon Dove said that throughout Saturday and Sunday he personally checked on various areas from Schriever to Cocodrie.
“We are fortunate that we have our pump stations, all of which were running,” Dove said.
Both Terrebonne and Lafourche are mostly affected by coastal flooding, when ocean waters move north in the form of storm surge during tropical weather events.
Bob Wagner, a forecaster at the National Weather Service’s Slidell office, said the rivers and tributaries that flooded during the weekend mostly empty into Lake Maurepas, which lies west of Lake Pontchartrain.
It is possible that the mouth of Lake Maurepas, which receives waters from affected rivers, was in a condition of heavy silting, Wagner confirmed. If that is the case, then the record rains of the weekend would have swelled rivers like the Tickfaw and the Amite past their flood stages.
In Terrebonne Parish the following firehouses were listed as those accepting donations for flood victims:
Bayou Black Fire Department – Savanne Rd.
Bayou Blue Fire Department – 107 Timberwood, Gray (985) 232-8699
Bayou Cane Fire Department – Central Station
Bourg Fire Department
Coteau Fire Department – Main Station
Dularge Fire Department – North Station
Grand Caillou Fire Department – Ashland Station
Houma Fire Department – Central Station
Little Caillou Fire Department – Station 2 Administration, 5016 Hwy. 56
Montegut Fire Department
Schriever Fire Department – Main Station
Village East Fire Department
West Terrebonne Fire Department – Central Station
