BREAKING: Lafourche, Terrebonne schools closed Wednesday due to Harvey
August 29, 2017
Land ownership, fisherman’s rights creates blur, gray area
August 30, 2017
For the most part flooding in Terrebonne Parish related to Tropical Storm Harvey has affected highways, streets and lawns.
But in some neighborhoods water has gotten into homes. And residents from those places have been stuck with nowhere to go, despite attempts by some public officials to obtain emergency placement.
“This is not good,” said Councilman John Navy, who was on the telephone much of Tuesday afternoon attempting assistance for five upper Dularge families forced to tread water. “I support the parish government and everything the parish does. When it comes down to hurricanes I am going to criticize anybody who should be able to help and can’t. I am disgusted. I have called and tried to get shelter. I have been told people will get back to me. These people need to know something right now.”
Parish President Gordon Dove said two pumps which service the area were operational.
“We have a 36″ pump operated on a float switch and a 16” auxiliary pump that the pump attendant was operating,” Dove said. “Both were running. This is the Gulf Access Road pump station. There is also a sewer lift station on Hidalgo that is electrically operated so people think this is a pump station and it is not running because they don’t hear anything.”
Candise LeBouef’s family is among those on Hidalgo drive whose houses took on water. She has temporarily placed her three boys, ages 6, 13 and 17, with relatives. But the solution is temporary and she herself has nowhere to go.
“At 7:30 I walked outside because I heard the rain,” said the Terrebonne General Medical Center admissions worker. “I had water in my carport. At 8 o’clock it started coming down harder and at 8:15 there was water in my house.”
The water was above her ankles. She has been walking in floodwater between her house and a friend’s home to see if the situation has improved. While parish officials have told her they can get help for structural or water-logging issues, that doesn’t help immediately.
Brittney DeHart fled her house – now soaked with nearly two feet of water – with her children ages 5, 7 and 9 years of age.
“They are with my grandmother and I am going to get them now, because they need to be with me,” she said, noting that two of the children have special needs. “I am waiting for someone to call, Councilman Navy said he would try to get us into a hotel.”
Parish officials were mulling some type of a shelter arrangement Tuesday afternoon but the two women and other parents said they want to avoid a shelter scenario for their children if at all possible.
John Navy said he is upset because the parish made no plans for scenarios such as this, leading to the need for last-minute solutions that still have not come to pass.
Homes with water were also reported in the Ashland area, on Mozart Drive.
