The LSU AgCenter says crawfish farmers will have to wait until the harvest this winter to see how much the flood impacted them. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The dean of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation does not believe that previous votes against a Hurricane Sandy relief package will prevent an aid package for Louisiana flood victims. Jeff Palermo has the story

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Army Corps of Engineers says the Comite River Diversion Project in the East Baton Rouge parish would not have reduced flooding in south Louisiana as much as some people think. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

State agencies are severely understaffed at a time when people need them the most. West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth says during tough budget times, there were employment cutbacks at the Department of Children and Family Services and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness, because Louisiana hasn’t seen a hurricane in several years.

cut 4  (09)  “an emergency”

Walsworth says Louisiana is the most disaster prone state in the nation, and we need to be prepared for these kinds of events. He says they may need to look into training state retirees in case of emergencies.

Cut 5  (09)  “of them”

Walsworth says people are still waiting on disaster food stamps, and he’s worried about kids who are not in school, because if they were, they could get at least one good meal every day. He says DCFS is having trouble opening DSNAP locations because many of them are working at shelters.

Cut 6 (09) “the evacuees”

_______________________________________________

After the agriculture businesses took a $110 million hit from the flood, crawfish farmers will have to wait to see how much their harvest was affected. LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist, Mark Shirley, says some fields that were only flooded for a day or two should be alright. But he says fields that had more water could see some losses.

CUT 7 (10)  “the field”

Shirley says right now female crawfish are usually burrowing down in the fields to lay their eggs. But he says the flood waters may have pushed some of them out.

Cut 8 (08) “in the water” 

Crawfish began laying eggs in late August and continue through November or early December. Shirley says farmers need to get the water out of the fields to keep predators away when the eggs start to hatch.

Cut 9 (08)  “comes from”

___________________________________________________________

US Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and the administrator from the Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet say the federal government is committed to the flood recovery in Louisiana. The two of them toured damaged areas of the Baton Rouge area yesterday. Contreras-Sweet reminds flood victims they can apply for low interest loans to repair their damaged home or business…

Cut 10 (08) “more manageable”

Castro says he supports the temporary housing solutions offered by Governor John Bel Edwards. He says the federal government learned many lessons from Katrina, which has led to better produced manufactured homes for displaced residents…

cut 11 (07) “safety features”

A FEMA spokesperson says manufactured homes have arrived in Baton Rouge and will be set up soon. Castro hopes a lot of the flood victims can take advantage of the shelter at home program, which gives a homeowner a chance to live in their residence as repairs to their home continue…

cut 12 (06) “stay there”

_______________________________________________________

Some people have suggested that if the Comite River Diversion Project in East Baton Rouge Parish had been completed, the flooding wouldn’t have been so severe. But the Army Corps of Engineers says that’s not the case. Deputy District Commander Mark Wingate says the project would only have helped a small part of the affected region.

Cut 13 (09) “in place”

Wingate says the project would have helped on the Comite River, but not the Amite or other rivers in the basin that also flooded. He says it would have reduced flooding in areas around Joor Road, but not very much in Denham Springs or farther south.

cut 14 (10)  “to inches”

The Comite project would cost upwards of $220 million. Wingate says what they need is a system wide approach to prevent flooding in the region. He says flood mitigation projects are also needed along the Amite River and Bayou Manchac.

Cut 15 (09) “or downstream”

FEMA housing units are returning to Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

================

Over 120-thousand people registered for disaster assistance and federal and state agencies are having trouble keeping up with the demand. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

===============================================

FEMA owned temporary housing units are returning to Louisiana to provide housing for flood victims who are in the process of rebuilding their homes. Governor John Bel Edwards says these trailer units are different from what we say after Hurricane Katrina.

CUT 3 (10)  “up better”

Edwards says these trailers are similar to actual mobile homes. He says flood victims who suffered over 17-thousand dollars in damages to their homes are eligible for a trailer.

CUT 4 (06)  “secure”

Edwards says the trailers will be secured on concrete blocks and not on wheels. The governor says he’s heard that FEMA representatives are checking to see if the FEMA units can fit on a person’s flood-damaged property and they’ll also have multiple trailers on a commercial lot.

CUT 5 (10)  “transportation”

==================================================

Triple-A is warning motorists looking to purchase a used car to beware of flood damaged vehicles for sale. Spokesperson Don Redman says usually damaged cars are quickly moved farther away from the devastated areas as early as one week after the disaster. He says be careful when buying a car off of Craigslist or resale sites.

CUT 6 (10) “of lots”

Redman advises people to use their sense of smell to detect any wet or musty odors inside the car. He also says to check for new carpeting and signs of dirt or mud.

CUT 7 (10) “the inside”

Redman says always get a Carfax report or some kind of vehicle history, because it can indicate where the car is coming from. He says the potential damage from the flooded vehicles may not be obvious in the short term but…

CUT 8 (11) “short circuiting” 

==================================================

Over 120-thousand people have applied for federal aid following the historic flood in south Louisiana, and many are encountering problems trying to get their assistance. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says she doesn’t like the idea of sending people to multiple locations, possibly across town, to meet with FEMA and apply for disaster food stamps.

CUT 9 (11) “another place”

Deputy Director for Disaster Recovery with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Mark Riley, says they are trying to get people out of their cars and shelters as quickly as possible. He says there are already some manufactured homes in the state after the March flood in north Louisiana, but it will be a while before they get these flood victims moved into them.

cut 10 (10)  “to do”

DSNAP has been rolled out in three phases, and many victims are still not able to receive their food stamps. Flood victims in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Lafayette can’t get theirs until next week. Barrow is not happy about the delay.

Cut 11 (08) “to eat”

===================================================

Weather experts say the disturbance in the Atlantic Ocean is still a fairly disorganized system, and there are many unknowns about the so called, “Invest 99L.” State Climatologist Barry Keim says conditions with this system are expected to become more favorable by the weekend…

cut 12 (08) “hurricane center”
Keim says if this storm does develop, it would probably enter the Gulf of Mexico Sunday or Monday. He says it is too early to speculate on what specific impacts might occur

Cut 13 (11)  “this thing”
Keim says this is kind of scary considering everything south Louisiana is already going through right now with the flooding. He says it’s still a ways out and things could change anytime…:

cut 14 (07)  “our problem”

==============================================

Governor John Bel Edwards visits Acadiana today to meet with officials about recovering after the historic flooding. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Just five months after seeing residents of north Louisiana deal with a historic flood, south Louisianans are going through the same thing, but in very different ways. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has announced the state’s plan for getting flood victims out of shelters as quickly as possible. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards will be in Acadiana today to speak with local officials about the recovery process form the historic flooding. One of his stops will be in the town of Youngsville. Mayor Ken Ritter says the flood devastated the Lafayette parish town. He says the silver lining is that they have a strong community, and what was a rescue mission has moved quickly into recovery.

cut 4  (07)  “hardest hit areas”

Ritter says over 600 homes were affected by the storm, and most of the affected areas are not in flood zones. He says this poses a serious problem for many of their young residents who didn’t have flood insurance.

Cut 5  (09)  “should purchase”

Ritter says their focus now is helping those people without insurance who may have just lost their first home. He says the community is coming together to help these people rebuild, and they’re hoping for more federal assistance.

Cut 6 (09) “their feet”

_______________________________________________

The Louisiana Senate’s Homeland Security Committee holds a meeting today to get an update on recovery efforts two weeks after the floods. State Sen. Bodi White of Central says several agencies will meet and discuss the next steps.

CUT 7 (10)  “National Guard”

White says the public is welcome to attend the meeting or watch the broadcast online at the Louisiana Senate website. He says they will not take public comment today but plans to have representatives with the Small Business Association at their meeting next week.

Cut 8 (07) “you know” 

White says this hearing will hopefully shed light on what worked and didn’t work during this disaster. He says the more information they can push out to the public, the better.

Cut 9 (10)  “local information”

___________________________________________________________

Louisiana has seen two historic floods just five months apart, and though similar in nature, the devastation is vastly different. Rev. Allison Sauls was living in Monroe during the March flood, and recently moved to Lafayette just before the flood in south Louisiana. She says the flooding in the south was more widespread than it was up north.

Cut 10 (10) “this go around”

Sauls says up north there was more flash flooding from the rain, whereas in the south it was hard to tell if the water was coming from the rain or the rivers. She says it’s been incredible to see folks who are still recovering up north coming to help people in south Louisiana.

cut 11 (07) “months ago”

Sauls says much of the flooding in north Louisiana was in rural areas. But she says the southern flood was so expansive it pushed water into more urban areas, especially in the Baton Rouge region.

cut 12 (09) “it wasn’t”

_______________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards announces multiple options on how the state plans to house displaced flood victims. The governor says one option is manufactured homes for those homeowners who received extensive damage to their months that will take months to repair.

Cut 13 (11) “who need them”

Edwards says homeowners whose home sustained more than $17-thousand in damage are eligible, as well as renters whose rental was destroyed. He says the Shelter At Home Program is new to Louisiana and seeks to get people back into their own homes quickly.

cut 14 (07)  “and habitable”

Edwards says the Shelter at Home program pays up to $15-thousand for plumbing and electrical inspections, removing debris, making sure there is a working bathroom and air conditioning, and providing small refrigerators and microwaves.

Cut 15 (08) “overall repairs”

Edwards says the program will be open on Monday, and they will announce then how people can apply.

Kaplan Senator Jonathan Perry wants to set the record straight about the alleged comments he made about regulating the Cajun Navy. Halen Doughty has the story…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

================

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank lost nearly one million pounds of food as it took on four feet of water during the flooding. Emelie Gunn has more on their recovery…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

===============================================

It was recently reported that Kaplan Senator Jonathan Perry wants to file legislation that would create more red tape for the “Cajun Navy” during emergencies. But Perry says that’s not the case. In an interview this morning with KPEL Radio in Lafayette, the senator set the record straight that he wants to help those volunteers.

CUT 3 (11)  “law enforcement”

Perry says he just wants to clear up the misconceptions about what he said. He says bills can’t even be filed until next year, and if and when he does file this legislation, it would not require a fee or tax to be a part of the Cajun Navy.

CUT 4 (10)  “the waiver”

Perry says after WWL-TV and The Hayride wrongfully reported that he wanted to regulate the Cajun Navy, calls and emails came in attacking not only him, but his family as well. He says if anyone disagrees with what he said, that’s fine, but he wants people to get the facts straight first and leave his family out of it.

CUT 5 (09)  “them alone”

==================================================

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank received more than four feet of water, lost a million pounds of food, along with the majority of its equipment during the Great Flood of 2016. President and CEO Mike Manning says with the hard work and donations from the Salvation Army and other food banks, they’re back online distributing food…

CUT 6 (08) “the problem”

Manning says other food banks from across the country have stepped up to donate during this tough time. He says right now, agencies from Tennessee and Texas are here to help.

CUT 7 (10) “stints”

It’s estimated it will take more than one million dollars to clean their facility. Manning says the warehouse is now completely gutted and it will take a few weeks to dry out and sanitize the facility but they’re lucky to have multiple satellite locations.

CUT 8 (10) “coming in” 

==================================================

The City of Central was hit hard by the Great Flood of 2016, with 90-percent of its residents taking on water in their homes. Mayor Jr. Shelton says 9-thousand out of 11-thousand homes were affected. He says complete subdivisions are just devastated and now Central residents are trying to rebuild.

CUT 9 (11) “destroyed”

Shelton says Central is a very resilient city and even after losing everything, people are still helping each other with the cleanup. But, he says his residents are working on adrenaline and he’s worried that will soon run out…

cut 10 (09)  “tiring out”

Shelton says up until today, people have had trouble signing up for FEMA assistance, mostly because they are stuck in their homes still in the cleanup process. But now he says they’ve set up a good communication line with FEMA.

Cut 11 (10) “claims” 2x

===================================================

Hurricane forecasters are still monitoring the tropical disturbance called Invest 99 that’s developing near Puerto Rico. Todd Kimberlain with National Hurricane Center says they sent a plane today to get a closer look at the storm.

cut 12 (09) “not quite yet”

Kimberlain says there’s a high probability that this area of low pressure can develop into Tropical Storm Hermine.

Cut 13 (07)  “few days” 2x

Kimberlain says Invest 99 is moving in the direction towards the Bahamas. Some computer medals suggest the tropical wave could make its way into the Gulf, but Kimberlain says it’s way too early to guess where it will go.

cut 14 (11)  “end up”

==============================================

The Louisiana School Board Association is encouraging people to donate to aid flood damaged schools. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards gave President Obama a list of requests that the state needs in order to recover from the Great Flood of 2016…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Debris cleanup in flooded neighborhoods should move more quickly now because of an order signed by the Department of Environmental Quality. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

First Lady Donna Edwards is working with the Louisiana School Board Association to assist flood damaged schools with repairs and supplies. LSBA Executive Director Scott Richard says at this point, about 20 schools were severely damaged during the rainstorm…

cut 4  (10)  “Lafayette Parish”

Visit the LSBA Fund for Restoring Schools GoFundMe page to donate. Richard says mold in the schools is an issue but the biggest problem is teachers and school employees are struggling to get back up and running when it comes to an actual place to live. He says they created the campaign to help local school districts.

Cut 5  (11)  “basic supplies”

The East Baton Rouge School System and Central Community Schools are set to resume classes after September 6^th, but Livingston Parish has not made a decision yet. Richard says they’ve raised right about 8-thousand dollars over the last few days. He says it’s unfortunate that we’re losing instructional time but they understand how many families have been affected.

Cut 6 (10) “learning environment”

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After President Obama visited Louisiana, he left with a better understanding of this 1,000 year flood and a letter from Governor John Bel Edwards asking for help. The Governor’s Communications Director, Richard Carbo, says while seeing the devastation first-hand is important, he doesn’t want to discredit what the federal government has provided to Louisiana.

CUT 7 (08)  “weeks ago”

Carbo says Governor Edwards gave the President of a list of aid requests that includes assistance for flood victims and money to improve flood protection along the Comite River. He says Louisiana is also looking to reduce the costs the state will have to absorb for responding to the disaster.

Cut 8 (08) “the cost” 

Over 115-thousand south Louisiana residents have signed up federal disaster assistance. Many of these storms victims had significant damage to their home and do not have flood insurance. Carbo says the President’s visit is part of the dialogue on how to help these individuals out.

Cut 9 (08)  “be available”

___________________________________________________________

Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Chuck Carr Brown signs an emergency order that’s designed to expedite the process of cleaning up debris in flooded neighborhoods in the 20-parish area affected by the recent severe weather. DEQ spokesperson Greg Langley says the order expands the range of debris that can be accepted by certain landfills.

Cut 10 (09) “like that”

The emergency order ends September 30. The debris removal process has started in some areas. Langley says many people also lost appliances like refrigerators and washing machines and he explains how they will be handled.

cut 11 (08) “disposed of”

This is the first time since Hurricane Katrina that DEQ has expanded what is allowed in landfills. Langley says they hope that if there are more places to take debris, it will speed up the cleanup process before the debris becomes a health hazard.

cut 12 (10) “unhealthy”

_______________________________________________________

Many are hoping that President Obama’s visit to Baton Rouge will help Louisiana get more federal funding quickly. Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy says it’s good that the visit shined a national spotlight on this disaster, but now we need to see the follow through.

Cut 13 (09) “projects”

Cassidy says Congress will vote on additional funding for Louisiana when they convene for the fall session after Labor Day. He says what they need now is an exact dollar amount from the state.

cut 14 (08)  “they will”

The Governor’s Office hopes to have those dollar figures by the beginning of September. Cassidy says there have been thousands of people across the country affected by natural disasters, and Congress wants to help them all.

Cut 15 (07) “disease”

_______________________________________________________

Film industry professionals are looking for jobs helping flood victims. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

================

More than 6 million dollars has been raised through over 5-thousand GoFundMe campaigns to assist flood victims. Don Molino has more…

CUT 2 (25)  “I’m Don Molino”

===============================================

Professionals in Louisiana’s film industry are available to help in the recovery process from the historic flood. President of Film Production Capital, Will French, says the state’s film industry is down 85-percent, which means carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and other skilled workers are unemployed.

CUT 3 (10)  “rebuilding process”

French says this is a way to help both flood victims and film industry workers. He says unless these people get work, they could leave the state to work on film projects in Georgia or California.

CUT 4 (12)  “local victims”

French says it’s not just people, they have resources too. He says one catering truck on a film set can serve 5-thousand meals a day, and there are currently 4 catering trucks sitting idle in Louisiana. He says they don’t want to see a repeat of what happened after Katrina.

CUT 5 (08)  “is now”

French says people who want to work and companies looking for employees can email film.helping.la@gmail.com.

==================================================

Over 5-thousand GoFundMe campaigns have been created to aid victims of this historic flooding raising more than six million dollars. CEO of GoFundMe Rob Solomon says money is being donated from all around the country and the world. He says this is the largest U.S. natural disaster seen on the GoFundMe platform.

CUT 6 (08) “earthquakes”

GoFundMe campaigns to rescue animals from the flood waters have raised 132-thousand dollars. Solomon says he’s seen the media mention that the Louisiana flood hasn’t received the attention it deserves but…

CUT 7 (10) “overwhelming”

Solomon says First Lady Donna Edwards is helping to raise money for teachers who lost everything in their classrooms. He also says celebrities, like the Voice’s Meg Linsey, have created GoFundMe campaigns.

CUT 8 (10) “each other” 

==================================================

Former Governor Kathleen Blanco understands what state and local officials are dealing with as the recovery has begun from the devastating flood that inundated thousands of homes without flood insurance. She says similar to Hurricane Katrina, we are once again dealing with a serious housing dilemma.

CUT 9 (09) “occurs”

Blanco is concerned the lack of housing for flood victims could result in people moving out of the state to live with family members elsewhere. She says even those with flood insurance are struggling.

cut 10 (11)  “a shock”

Blanco says this will not be an overnight recovery and rebuilding will cost billions of dollars. She says it will be very hard for flood victims to repair their homes without some kind of government assistance.

Cut 11 (11) “shortage”

===================================================

The National Hurricane Center is keeping its eye on three tropical systems in the Atlantic, and one of them has the potential of getting into the Gulf of Mexico. State climatologist Barry Keim says tropical storm Gaston is not a threat to the coastal US at this time and Fiona in the mid-Atlantic is fizzling out, but another disturbance, called Invest 99 is worth keeping an eye on.

cut 12 (10) “a possibility”

Keim says the storm appears to be heading over Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. But he says it is possible that Invest 99 could move into the Gulf.

Cut 13 (09)  “some watching” 

Keim says it’s not a surprise to see the Atlantic heating up with tropical activity as we are in the peak of the hurricane season. And he says all the conditions are right for major storms to develop.

cut 14 (07)  “south Louisiana”

==============================================

President Barack Obama spent the day touring a flood damage neighborhood in East Baton Rouge parish that were inundated by the flood waters. In a press conference held in front of a pile of debris, the President shared the heartwarming stories he heard of neighbors helping neighbors. He says Louisiana will have all the federal support it needs for as long as it takes.

cut 15 (11) “are rebuilt”

The Commander in Chief says FEMA is continuing to work around the clock to find temporary housing for those that have been displaced. He says when Congress gets back in session, they will look at how to help Louisiana long term, but the state has already received millions in federal assistance.

cut 16 (10) “payments”

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The Humane Society of Louisiana is still working to rescue animals that were lost in the flood and reunite them with their owners. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Baton Rouge today to see some of the damage from the Great Flood of 2016. Don Molino has more…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

______________________________________

Congressman Garret Graves says the first order of business when Congress returns in September is to meet the unmet needs to those who lost everything in the floods. Emelie Gunn has more on his plans…

Cut 3 (26) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Homes and vehicles were not the only things lost in the recent flood, as the LSU AgCenter reports hundreds of thousands of acres of crops were lost. Kurt Guidry with the AgCenter says the total value of crops lost is about $110 million.

cut 4  (12)  “sweet potatoes”

Guidry says soybeans crops had about $46 million in yield losses, and rice wasn’t far behind at $33 million in losses. He says it could be a while before we know exactly how much farmers lost in their yield because of the flood.

Cut 5  (09)  “this damage”

Guidry says about $3 million worth of sugarcane will have to be replanted, and it’s still not clear what the livestock losses are. He says during the flooding in north Louisiana this spring, ranchers lost upwards of 500 to 600 cattle.

Cut 6 (07) “latest event”

_______________________________________________

President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Louisiana today to see the devastation from the flood first hand. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says from a political standpoint, it would have been better if the President had come sooner.

CUT 7 (09)  “do anything”

Cross says right now the real question is if Congress will give Louisiana more federal support. He says the best thing that could come out of this visit is for Mr. Obama to convince Congress to help flood victims get back on their feet.

Cut 8 (10) “that regard” 

According to the White House the President will get a first-hand look at the devastating flooding, hear from local officials and tell the people of Louisiana that the American people will be with them as they rebuild. Cross says voters who like the President may be glad that he came. But he says other will not be as thrilled to see the Commander in Chief.

Cut 9 (12)  “Mr. President”

___________________________________________________________

The Humane Society of Louisiana is partnering with animal shelters around the country to help rescue and find homes for animals that were left behind when the flood waters rose. H-S-L Executive Director, Jeff Dorson, says they are still doing animal rescues in Livingston parish.

Cut 10 (09) “and recover”

Dorson says they’ve also teamed up with Livingston Parish Animal Shelter, and people can call or come by to see if their animal may have been rescued. He says they’re doing everything they can to reunite pets with their owners.

cut 11 (08) “their animal”

Dorson says they are looking for people who want to volunteer or shelter animals. He says people can find out more and make monetary donations at HumaneLA.org.

cut 12 (10) “help everybody”

_______________________________________________________

Congressman Garret Graves says once Congress returns next month, first order of business is to address the unmet needs of the property owners whose homes were flooded and didn’t have flood insurance. He says in order for our community to recover there needs to be an assistance package to help those affected.

Cut 13 (08) “this size”

Graves says if these flood victims end up owing more on their house than it’s worth, they could eventually be on a government poverty program. He says they are working on legislation that could help homeowners who lost everything.

cut 14 (08)  “core needs”

Graves admits it may be difficult to get a financial aid package approved because 3 members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation voted against a Hurricane Sandy relief package. The congressman plans to speak to the president today about financial aid for flood victims, local businesses, schools, plus flood protection from the area.

Cut 15 (05) “watershed”

Flood victims who have been displaced may have trouble finding a new home. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

================

LSU Economist Jim Richardson estimates it will take at least a year to recover from the historic flood damage. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

===============================================

State officials estimate 60-thousand homes were damaged in the Great Flood of 2016, and many displaced residents are now looking for new places to live. Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors president Tiffany Palmer says unfortunately there’s a low inventory of homes, especially for apartments…

CUT 3 (09)  “and Southern”

Palmer says she doesn’t expect people to flee the area completely, but many will look for homes in areas that did not flood. She says if families are able to find rentals, they could run into leasing problems, because most landlords want to sign leases for at least six months.

CUT 4 (09)  “have one”

The already short supply of available homes has dwindled, as some were flooded or taken off the market. Palmer says those looking to buy new homes may not be able to find their dream home, because of the limited availability.

CUT 5 (09)  “perfect one”

==================================================

The evacuation order has been lifted in the Vermilion parish town of Gueydan (GAY-dahn). Vermilion Emergency Preparedness director Rebecca Broussard says they avoided major flooding in Gueydan thanks to the Louisiana National Guard.

CUT 6 (09) “in that area”

An evacuation order for the town of Gueydan was issued when the levee along Highway 713 was breached Wednesday, but the breach was contained Sunday after hundreds of 4-thousand pound sandbags were dropped along the levee. However, Broussard says they still had over 11-hundred homes flooded throughout the parish.

CUT 7 (07) “a process”

Broussard says some homes in Vermilion Parish had water up to the roof, and several roads are still underwater. She says usually flooding in Vermilion is the result of storm surge from hurricanes, but that’s not the case this time.

CUT 8 (07) “insurance” 

==================================================

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says volunteers are needed to help flooded homeowners get the muck out of their homes. Mike Steele with GOHSEP says until this difficult cleanup is done, people cannot start to rebuild.

CUT 9 (08) “urgent need”

Steele says the damage from this flood is similar to what they saw in the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina.

cut 10 (10)  “deal with”

Steele says people who want to help can sign up at VolunteerLouisiana.gov. He says many people whose home were damaged are elderly and not able to repair the damage.

Cut 11 (09) “large area”

===================================================

It’s estimated it will take at least one year to recover from the historic floods. That’s according to LSU Economist Jim Richardson who says Livingston Parish, which was the hardest hit, will need a while to get back to some kind of normalcy. He expects big national businesses should be back on their feet quickly, but it may take smaller businesses longer.

cut 12 (10) “business loans”

Richardson says in the short-term, this event could boost the economy with flood victims purchasing new furniture, flooring, and sheet-rock. He says the biggest issue is housing for those who lost their homes, which cannot be solved overnight.

Cut 13 (10)  “availability” 

Richardson says many victims of the flooding did not have flood insurance, which will force some to go into debt to restore their home.

cut 14 (10)  “be in”

==============================================

The Amite River, which contributed to much of the flooding in southeast Louisiana should finally fall below flood stage today. Freddie Zeigler, senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in Slidell, says the Amite is still above flood stage at French Settlement in Livingston Parish, but that should change by tomorrow

cut 15 (05) “four-point-four”

Zeigler says even though the Amite should be below flood stage by tomorrow, the flood event is not over as backwater remains a problem in some areas…

cut 16 (06) “drain out”

=====================================

Volunteer groups from around the country are in Louisiana donating their time to help flood victims clean up their homes. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The City of Walker is suing the state for I-12 construction that’s believed to have worsened the flooding. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The state department of children and family services begins the process of handing out disaster food stamp cards to flood victims. Jeff Palermo has the story..

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Volunteers from around the country have come to Louisiana to offer assistance to flood victims trying to rebuild their homes. Samaritan’s Purse, a volunteer group out of North Carolina, has set up disaster relief units in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Spokesperson Todd Taylor says if you are in need of help or want to donate your time, visit Samartianspurse.org or call (985) 402-4350 in Baton Rouge.

cut 4  (10)  “sheet rock”

To contact Samaritan’s Purse in Lafayette, call (337) 349-5130. Taylor says the organization will be in Baton Rouge for 12 weeks and 10 weeks in Lafayette and they need more volunteers. He says currently, the group is focusing on cleanup.

Cut 5  (09)  “treatments”

Samaritan’s Purse was in north Louisiana earlier in the year to help with flooding and had a five year presence in the state after Hurricane Katrina. Taylor says all the services are free and the organization is funded through private donations. He says volunteers have been out working already and the damage is overwhelming.

Cut 6 (12) “go to”

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Today the city of Walker begins putting together its lawsuit against the state for the construction of I-12. City officials believe the concrete wall that separates the east and west bound lanes worsened the flooding in the city. Mayor Rick Ramsey says when the interstate was widened to six lanes, the median was taken out and replaced with a concrete wall.

CUT 7 (09)  “United States”

Ramsey says areas that have never flooded before took on three to five feet of water. He says he believes without that wall, the flooding wouldn’t have been nearly as bad. He says they were prepared for a major flood, but not this.

Cut 8 (12) “we had” 

Ramsey says he knows the wall caused the three foot difference in water marks from one side of the interstate to the other, but he is not confident in their ability to win the suit against the state.

Cut 9 (09)  “photographic proof”

Attorney Joe Bruno filed a similar suit against the Army Corps of Engineers for work they did in St Bernard parish that led to more flooding there after Katrina, but it was unsuccessful because the Corps had immunity. He says Walker could run into a similar problem.

Cut 10 (11) “to do so”

The Department of Transportation issued a statement on the case, saying “Considering the unprecedented rainfall in such a short time-frame, it is unlikely that the median barriers in this area can be considered the cause for flooding.”

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State officials hope to get more financial help from the federal government to pay for flood relief efforts throughout south Louisiana. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the state has already spent at least $12.5 million, and that number is expected to grow exponentially. He says right now the feds will reimburse Louisiana for 75-percent of that, but he hopes for more federal dollars.

cut 11 (10) “10-percent”

The 75-percent reimbursement comes automatically with the declaration of a federal disaster area. Dardenne says it will take an act of Congress to get to the 90-10 split.

cut 12 (09) “10 match”

Dardenne says no matter how much the feds contribute, they are committed to helping Louisiana residents recover.

Cut 13 (11) “displaced”

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Disaster food stamps will be available to flood victims in eight parishes starting today. The eight parishes are East Feliciana, Iberia, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St Landry, Tangipahoa and Vermilion. Governor John Bel Edwards says eligible residents that have their last names begin with the letter A-to-D can can get their benefits at select locations…

cut 14 (09)  “be patient”

Check the department of children and family services website to find out when you’ll be able to get your benefit card and where. He says starting next Monday, DSNAP cards will be available in Acadia, Ascension, East Baton Rouge and Lafayette parishes…

Cut 15 (10) “are eligible”

The disaster food stamps are for those who do not receive regular food stamps and it can help individuals buy groceries due to lost income or flood damages. Edwards says to find out if you’re eligible for disaster food stamps, you must pre-register…

Cut 16  (09)  “dot-gov”

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The Saints are back at their training facility today after a disappointing performance in Saturday’s preseason loss to Houston. New Orleans defense played well, they held Houston to 59 rushing yards and forced a couple of turnovers. But Coach Sean Payton says the offense’s performance was as bad as it gets…

Cut 17 (15)  “good things”

Brandon Coleman led the Saints in receptions with six catches for 47 yards, but had a chance to make several big plays, but he couldn’t hang on to the football. Payton says Coleman has had a “pedestrian” camp

Cut 18 (17) “seen better”

Before the game on Saturday, the Saints released veteran cornerback Keenan Lewis, who has battled knee and hip injuries. Payton says the decision to cut Lewis was based on the fact that he couldn’t get on the field…

Cut 19 (13) “wish him well”

South Louisiana parishes that were underwater just a week ago are starting to transition into recovery, but there’s still a long road ahead. Don Molino has more on recovery efforts…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

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Water and food distribution centers have been set up in Livingston Parish for victims of the historic flooding. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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As the state transitions into recovery from the 1,000-year flood, resources and volunteers are more important than ever. Red Cross CEO Gail McGovern says this is the worst natural disaster they have seen in years.

CUT 3 (10)  “Superstorm Sandy”

McGovern says at one point 10-thousand people in the state were in shelters, and that is now down to 8-thousand. She says they will be here as long as it takes for this community to recover.

CUT 4 (11)  “relief items”

McGovern says the Red Cross has served 100-thousand meals to the people in shelters. She says if anyone wants to volunteer or donate to the Red Cross, they can go to RedCross.org. She says their work is far from over.

CUT 5 (09)  “and snacks”

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Flood victims are at Bass Pro Shop today in Denham Springs to receive water and food, as well as, meet with FEMA representatives to apply for disaster assistance. Terry is a Denham Springs resident whose home was flooded during the storm. He says he lost two trailers and a truck but is lucky he can stay with his daughter….

CUT 6 (12) “shower, sleep”

Ed is also a Denham Springs resident who tried to stay in his home as long as possible during the flooding. He says when he finally decided to leave, the water was up to his chest when he stepped outside and was only able to bring a few items with him…

CUT 7 (10) “made it”

The National Guard is distributing water, MREs and other necessary supplies for the flood victims. Sgt. First Class Travis Jenkins says this effort it to make sure people affected can get through to the next phase of their recovery. He says all the Guardsmen are happy to be out here to help those in need.

CUT 8 (10) “the area” 

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Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump, along with running mate Mike Pence,  have been touring the flood damage in East Baton Rouge and Ascension Parishes today. Trump is amazed at the level of destruction the floods left behind

CUT 9 (10) “here to help”

Trump took pictures with relief workers and offered his support to flood victims who lost their homes and personal belongings. He also took time to hand out supplies and toys to children. Most of the people who came in contact with Trump were glad he came…

cut 10 (12)  “your support”

Fellow republicans, Lt Governor Billy Nungesser and Attorney General Jeff Landry, met Trump when he arrived at the Baton Rouge airport on Friday morning and traveled with him to the flood-damaged areas. Nungesser says Trump’s visit can can help raise awareness around the nation that many are suffering in Louisiana…

Cut 11 (08) “whole again”

Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she spoke with Governor John Bel Edwards on the phone today. The White House says President Barack Obama will be in south Louisiana on Tuesday.

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Frustrations are growing in Walker in Livingston Parish over the lack of federal resources to help those affected by the historic flooding. Mayor Rick Ramsey says they’ve been told by FEMA that no temporary housing will be brought in for residents. He says FEMA will try to expedite some reimbursement but that isn’t enough…

cut 12 (12) “elevation”

Ramsey says his most recent update states there is no intention of bringing in FEMA trailers or providing temporary housing. He says it’s a crime that FEMA doesn’t think the flood victims who lost their homes need a place to live.

Cut 13 (11)  “at night”

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The total value of all the homes lost in the flood in the Baton Rouge area could be up to $21 billion. That’s according to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s preliminary analysis of flood damage in Louisiana, which estimates 31% of homes in the 9 parish Baton Rouge area are in flooded areas. President and CEO Adam Knapp says the preliminary data demonstrates just how devastating this flood is.

cut 14 (08)  “community standpoint”

The analysis also found that 87-percent of homes and 91-percent of businesses in Livingston parish are in areas that flooded. Knapp says that means 48-thousand residences were potentially ruined, and not many of them were insured for flood damage.

cut 15 (06) “entire parish”

Knapp says he hopes these shocking findings will be enough to persuade federal officials to give Louisiana more financial support. He says it could even motivate more citizens to do what they can to help.

cut 16 (07) “to recover”

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