Louisiana Flood

pyreaux · 08-16-2016, 10:24

I'm not sure how many folks on this board are from Louisiana, but we're getting comments from friends out of state that there is little news coverage at the national level. For anyone interested in what is happening down here the weather channel seems to have recently coverage.

https://weather.com/news/weather/new...cued-evacuated

bblhead672 · 08-16-2016, 10:27

One of my nephews in Baton Rouge had to walk out through the flood waters with his wife and children, leaving behind their 3 cars, house and all their possessions.

Definitely not enough news coverage outside of the state.

Greyone · 08-16-2016, 11:38

Luckily my two siblings and their families are dry and volunteering in the relief effort. Y'all stay safe and prayers out.

pyreaux · 08-16-2016, 13:44

Current reporting is 11 dead, and 40,000 and counting homes flooded.

Oldrotorhead · 08-16-2016, 15:30

Well how bad can it be" POTUS hasn't visited yet or even done a fly-by.

pyreaux · 08-16-2016, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldrotorhead

Well how bad can it be" POTUS hasn't visited yet or even done a fly-by.

I will say that he was reported to have responded to our governor's request for the emergency declaration within hours. I'm not a fan of his, but certainly appreciate that he didn't drag his feet on that. Personally I'd rather not see his motorcade and air traffic down here getting in the way of rescues and deliveries.

National guard and the "Cajun navy" aka volunteers with boats have been doing a great job of getting to people and pets.

**Team Sergeant** · 08-16-2016, 16:14

I'm from Iowa. There we know the mighty Mississippi floods all the time but we try to contain it.

Idiot move.

If you live in the flood plain of a 'major" river you made a very bad move. I looked at the map of the flooding, yeah, not smart. About as smart as placing a major city below sea level and living next to the sea.......

bblhead672 · 08-16-2016, 16:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyreaux

Personally I'd rather not see his motorcade and air traffic down here getting in the way of rescues and deliveries.

He'll show up if there's a way to blame the flooding on someone on his enemies list.

SF_BHT · 08-16-2016, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greyone

Luckily my two siblings and their families are dry and volunteering in the relief effort. Y'all stay safe and prayers out.

Looks like you have a new fishing hole

Hope it rolls back soon. Got friends down there and they are holding their breath. They are inches away from getting their feet wet.

pyreaux · 08-16-2016, 17:27

This flooding is not from a major river. It's from rain. 24 inches plus in 48 hrs.

Oldrotorhead · 08-16-2016, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyreaux

I will say that he was reported to have responded to our governor's request for the emergency declaration within hours. I'm not a fan of his, but certainly appreciate that he didn't drag his feet on that. Personally I'd rather not see his motorcade and air traffic down here getting in the way of rescues and deliveries.

National guard and the "Cajun navy" aka volunteers with boats have been doing a great job of getting to people and pets.

I'm fairly sure the Red Cross has responded and I think Home Depot as well. Has FEMA actually done anything productive like provide water, food and shelter?

Old Dog New Trick · 08-16-2016, 20:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyreaux

This flooding is not from a major river. It's from rain. 24 inches plus in 48 hrs.

I feel for you, this is historic but, I must ask...

What man-made decisions or lack there of led to this over the many years leading to "cause and effect" for this weather event?

Flooding that affects people are usual caused by (other) people; not weather events by and of itself.

A few years ago my BILs house in Thailand flooded because the government was trying to save Bangkok from the slow moving inevitable. They succeeded but at the cost of several thousand other homes, businesses and hundreds of thousands of other people's livelihood. I see the possibly and the similarities in the same kind of thinking - save New Orleans at the expense of Baton Rouge and communities to the north of the convergence zone.

Sdiver · 08-16-2016, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Dog New Trick

I feel for you, this is historic but, I must ask...

What man-made decisions or lack there of led to this over the many years leading to "cause and effect" for this weather event?

Flooding that affects people are usual caused by (other) people; not weather events by and of itself.

A few years ago my BILs house in Thailand flooded because the government was trying to save Bangkok from the slow moving inevitable. They succeeded but at the cost of several thousand other homes, businesses and hundreds of thousands of other people's livelihood. I see the possibly and the similarities in the same kind of thinking - save New Orleans at the expense of Baton Rouge and communities to the north of the convergence zone.

I'd be interested in knowing too, but ... sometimes it happens just because it happens.

Take for example the flooding we had out here in Colorado that affected the area north of the Denver metro area.

There was no really big government involvement in diverting any of the streams, creeks and rivers coming out of the mountains. In fact, they may have improved it some with the reservoir systems.

But we just had steady rain for weeks and weeks and that "100 year flood" came down from the mountains and foothills and along the front range. The Native Americans knew of it and experienced it long before the white man came in and fvcked things up.

So sometimes, it just happens.

Here ya go .... http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...ooding&page=26

Page 26 is the start of the flood posts ...

pyreaux · 08-16-2016, 21:33

I suspect that while some areas may have been worse hit due to man-made problems, it doesn't account for 105,000 residents out of ~135,000 being flooded. I believe those numbers are from Denham springs. It was a freak storm that the meteorologists didn't fully grasp until it was on us. We're looking at a potential 30 Parish (county) disaster area.

pyreaux · 08-16-2016, 21:40

As far as I know there is no system that would diver this water. Also post Katrina financially it would not be worth while to save one over the other as a significant portion of the population and their companies moved to Baton Rouge. We also place host to some of the largest chemical production and refining capacity in the nation.

Louisiana does have diversion systems like you mention, they are enacted when needed and the residents of the flood plane are advised beforehand. People who reside in those areas literally know better as they are notified when purchasing or leasing those properties. Much of it is farmland or hunting and fishing cabins. There are also houseboats in some of the basins.