The Amite River has receded in some parts of Livingston Parish, giving storm victims a chance to survey the devastation of their homes. Michelle Southern reports from her Denham Springs subdivision.
CUT 1 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Tangipahoa, St. Helena, East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes have been declared federal disaster areas. Gerard Stoler with FEMA says all damage claims in parishes not declared a federal disaster zone will be processed when those parishes are added to the list.
cut 11 (05) “register”
Frank Revitte with the National Weather Service in Slidell says the southeast section of the state are still seeing flood waters rising. He says a lot of water still has to move from the Amite River Basin towards Lake Maurepas.
CUT 8 (12) “spread out”

Ascension, Iberville, St. James and Livingston are still expected to get additional flooding and more homes could become flooded.

St. John’s United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge has opened up as one of many shelters for flood victims in the area. Rev. Dr. Jay Hogwood says they have partnered with sister churches in their sheltering efforts, including South Baton Rouge Presbyterian Church.
Cut 4 (07) “back and forth.”

Four parishes have been declared a federal disaster area as a result of the historic flooding. The four parishes are Tangipahoa, St. Helena, East Baton Rouge and Livingston. The declaration allows for storm victims to receive federal assistance. Gerard Stoler with FEMA says they plan to set up recovery centers in these parishes to help individuals get federal aid.

cut 10 (05)  “right now”

Individuals can also register damage online or over the phone at disasterassistance-dot-gov.

St. John’s United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge is just one of many impromptu shelters that have been set up across south Louisiana. Rev. Dr. Jay Hogwood says nearly 100 people are being housed on the church campus, and that number is expected to grow.

CUT 3 (07)  “on that first”

Flood waters are not showing signs of receding anytime soon in some southern Louisiana parishes. Meredith Conger with the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Ascension Parish says they are still trying to combat the flooding throughout the parish. She says they are still in the response phase.

Cut 13 (09)  “at Lamar Dixon”

Southwest Louisiana was also hammered by the intense rains over the weekend and are experiencing tremendous flooding. Donald Jones with the National Weather Service says Lafayette, New Iberia and the Lake Arthur area are having the biggest problems. He says more rain is expected this week, which could worsen the situation in some areas.

CUT 7 (11) “new flooding”

At least six have died as a result from the south Louisiana flooding. Authorities in Tangipahoa confirm two bodies were found in floodwaters there. A man’s body was located near the Village of Tangipahoa and then last night the body of a woman was pulled from floodwaters off of Highway 442.

The National Weather Service says backwater flooding will continue today along bayous and streams that feed into the Amite River through Iberville, Ascension and St. James parishes. Major General Glen Curtis with the Louisiana National Guard says 17-hundred guardsmen are assisting…
cut 12 (18) “…is required”
The US Coast Guard says they rescued over 400 people last night in the Baton Rouge area.

Sections of I-10 and I-12 remain closed today. I-12 is shutdown between Airline Highway in Baton Rouge and I-55 in Hammond. Both lanes of I-10 between US 165 and I-49 is closed and so is I-10 East and West between Siegan Lane and LA 73. And the state department of transportation says US 190 is closed in both directions between L-A 16 in Denham Springs and L-A 43 in Albany due to flooding.

It’s very difficult to travel in Livingston Parish today. Frank Revitte with the National Weather Service in Slidell says water in Denham Springs and throughout the Parish is not expected to clear out for days…
cut 9 (10) “….process”
Livingston is one of the four parishes declared a federal disaster area. The other three parishes are Tangiphoa, St. Helena and East Baton Rouge.

The state continues to respond to this historic flooding. Governor John Bel Edwards….
cut 30 (08) “…southern Louisiana”
One of the those individuals rescued was the former voice of the LSU Tigers, Jim Hawtorne. He had over a foot of water in his home in East Baton Rouge Parish, when individuals in a boat took him and his wife to dry land.

More evacuations are taking place in Iberville Parish as the water continues to flow south.

Flooding is also an issue in Acadiana. Donald Jones with the National Weather Service says Lafayette, New Iberia and the Lake Arthur areas are having the biggest problems. He says the Vermillion and Mermentau Rivers are at peak crest right now and homes continue to flood as the rivers rise…
cut 6 (09) “…to go”

The massive flooding across south Louisiana, will force many people to file flood insurance claims. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the first thing people need to do is contact their agent. But he says there are other ways to prepare to make a claim….
cut 13 (08) “…repair cost”
As much of south Louisiana is dealing with historic flooding, we are also entering the peak of the hurricane season. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

It’s sunny outside but flooding remains a major problem across south Louisiana. State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson has this message…
cut 30 (08) “…on you”
Back water off the Amite River is producing more flooding in Ascension Parish, southern Livingston Parish and into parts of St. James, Assumption and St. John the Baptist Parish.

So far over 20,000 people had to be rescued. Governor John Bel Edwards says many people in private boats gave a helping hand….
cut 9 (16) “…remain patient”
10-thousand people had to spend last night in a shelter. And the number of people who have died from the flooding has rose to six.

Because of the flooding in south Louisiana, storm victims will have to file claims. Don Molino has more on what to do when making a claim…
voicer 2 (25) “…I’m Don Molino”

As Louisiana deals with historic flooding, it’s also worth noting we are entering the heart of the hurricane season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says powerful storms develop between mid-August until early October…
cut 4 (10) “…week period”
Keim says conditions over the Gulf are right to produce strong storms.

Flood waters continue to rise in parts of south Louisiana as result of the Great Flood of 2016. State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson on the rescue efforts…
cut 10 (26) “…we’re dealing with”
Over 20-thousand people had to be rescued and 10-thousand of them had to spend last night in a shelter. Major General Glen Curtis with the Louisiana National Guard says about 17-hundred guardsmen have been mobilized…
cut 12 (18) “…is required”

Much of Livingston Parish remains under water this morning. Our own Michelle Southern is in her Denham Springs home waiting for the water to go down…
voicer 3 (38) “…I’m Michelle Southern”

According to State Police, over 280 roads are closed. I-12 from Baton Rouge to Hammond is shutdown, also I-49 between Lafayette and US 165 near Lake Charles is closed. And now we are hearing I-10 is closed in both directions from Siegen Lane and LA 30 near Gonzales. Making it difficult to travel between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

South Louisiana continues to deal with an unprecedented flooding event. Governor John Bel Edwards says state and local agencies have rescued over 20-thousand people from flood-watered homes. He says many of these individuals never anticipated flood waters inundating their subdivision…
cut 8 (18) “…evacuate”
10-thousand people had to spend last night in a shelter.

I-12 remains closed in both directions between Airline Highway in Baton Rouge and I-55 in Hammond. I-10 East and West is closed between I-49 Lafayette and US 165 near Lake Charles. L-S-P says there are over 280 state roads closed this morning.

The Baton Rouge area has received much of the national headlines in this historic flooding event. But the director of the governor’s office of homeland security and emergency preparedness director Jim Waskom says the Acadiana region also has hundreds of homes flooded…
cut 11 (15) “…impacted”
Governor Edwards will spend the day touring the flood damagem in Lafayette, Abbeville and New Iberia, where nearly two feet of rain fell over the weekend.

It appears rushing flood waters claimed the life of a woman who had her vehicle swept away in the area of Hineston in Rapides Parish. The vehicle was traveling on Big Creek Road when rising water pushed the car into a ditch. The driver drowned, but a child in her vehicle was rescued after two females saw the freightened child clinging to a tree.

Thousands of people are away from their flooded homes across south Louisiana this morning. Governor John Bel Edwards says high waters have inundated neighborhoods from Tangiaphoa Parish to the Acadiana area…
cut 7 (10) “…to get in”
Edwards says over 20-thousand people had to be rescued, along with hundreds of pets and over 10-thousand people are in shelters. The death toll from this record-setting flooding has grown to six.

Authorities in Tangipahoa Parish confirm two bodies were found in floodwaters there. The body of an unidentified man was located near the Village of Tangipahoa and then last night the body of a woman was pulled from floodwaters off of Highway 442 in Tangipahoa.

Tangipahoa Parish is one of four parishes declared as a federal disaster area. The other three are St. Helena, East Baton Rouge and Livingston. Residents can register damage at disasterassistance-dot-gov or at 1800-621-3362.

Those with flood damaged homes will have the opportunity later this week to survey the damage. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon….
cut 14 (07) “…to do so”
Donelon says you can document your losses with pictures and keep your receipts, even for purchases made to minimize the damage to your home.

Portions of the interstate in south Louisiana remain closed this morning. That includes I-12 between Airline Highway in Baton Rouge and I-55 in Hammond. According to DOTD, a section of I-12 near Covington is also blocked by flood waters. Sections of I-10 are also closed between Lafayette and Jennings.