Hurricane, storm surge sessions begin today

Three informational meetings on hurricanes and storm surge will be held beginning today, Aug. 12, sponsored by the LSU AgCenter and Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing.

The program will cover past hurricane impacts on coastal Louisiana and factors influencing storm surge; what will happen if storm surge strikes Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, and new flood zones.

The meetings will be held today in Chauvin at the Ward 7 Citizen’s Club (5006 La. Highway 56); on Thursday, Aug. 13, in Golden Meadow at the South Lafourche Library (16241 E. Main St. in the former Wal-Mart), and on Monday, Aug. 17, in Houma at the Terrebonne Parish Main Library (151 Library Drive).

All sessions will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The meetings will have updated information on the effects of hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Changes in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and new storm surge models will also be covered.

Maurice Wolcott with the LSU AgCenter will lead the program. AgCenter staff will be present to help residents access information from the Internet on elevation and flood zones.

“It will give residents updated information,” said David Gauthe with BISCO. “They will have extra members there. Give them your address and they’ll give you your elevation. It’s a great tool to let people know they should evacuate.”

For more information, call Gauthe at (985) 438-1609, David Bourgeois at (985) 873-6495, Patty Whitney at (985) 227-9042 or Lauren Ledet at (985) 876-5158.