NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The Latest on weather-related flooding in the Deep South (all times local):
11:50 a.m.
Flash flood warnings are still in effect for southeast Louisiana as more rain is in the forecast.
More than 1,000 people have had to be evacuated and at least two people have died after heavy rains inundated parts of the state.
The National Weather Service says the flash flood warnings are in effect for Livingston, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, Iberville, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana and Ascension parishes until 2:15 p.m. Saturday.
In south Mississippi, more than a half-dozen counties are under a flood watch until Sunday.
Forecaster Tim Destri says additional rainfall accumulations through Sunday morning in Louisiana could range between 3 to 6 inches west of Interstate 55 with locally higher amounts. Somewhat lower rainfall totals east of I-55 are expected.
In Mississippi, Destri said an additional 2 inches could fall from McComb to the Mississippi River. Gloster, Mississippi, in Amite County, had a two-day rain total of 22.8 inches.
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10:55 a.m.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says flooding has reached record levels in some parts of the state following days of torrential rain.
He said at a press conference Saturday that officials still don’t know how bad the flooding will get and warned residents not to rely on past experience when deciding on a course of action. He says residents advised to evacuate should do so.
Edwards also advised residents to avoid unnecessary road travel. He said more than 1,000 people have been rescued so far from homes, cars and elsewhere. About 100 pets have also been rescued.
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9:25 a.m.
The National Weather Service says the same system that is currently affecting parts of Louisiana dumped heavy rainfall on coastal Alabama this week.
Weather service meteorologist Da’Vel Johnson said Saturday that Gulf Shores on the Alabama coast got 7.45 inches of rain from Monday through 7 a.m. Friday. Dauphin Island got 5.26 inches during the same period.
More rain fell Friday, but Johnson said those rainfall totals weren’t available Saturday morning.
Johnson said the storm system had mostly moved away from Alabama by Saturday.
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9:15 a.m.
The National Weather Service has issued flash flooding warning for all of southwest Louisiana until 2 p.m. Saturday as a low pressure system continues to drift slowly to the west. Forecaster Donald Jones in Lake Charles, Louisiana, says the storm system moved from southeast Louisiana to an area along the central Gulf coast in 24 hours or about 100 to 200 miles.
A flood watch for southwest Louisiana is in effect until Sunday afternoon.
Jones says 6 to 10 inches of rain has fallen over the last 24 hours and an additional 4 to 6 inches will be possible Saturday afternoon.
Jones says Iberia, Lafayette and Vermilion parishes have been the hardest hit with flood water getting into some homes.
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7:55 a.m.
More rain is expected to swamp already soggy ground across Louisiana and other parts of the Gulf Coast where at least two people died and dozens had to be rescued from waist-high water surrounding their homes.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency as rescue workers in the southeastern part of the state brace for more precipitation.
Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo said the governor returned to Louisiana on Friday because of the flooding. Edwards had been in Colorado for a policy meeting of the Democratic Governors Association but left early because of the storm.
Edwards has scheduled a news conference for 10:30 a.m. Saturday to discuss the flooding situation, which also affected the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion, where the basement flooded.
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More rain is expected to swamp already soggy ground across Louisiana and other parts of the Gulf Coast where at least two people died and dozens had to be rescued from waist-high water surrounding their homes.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency as rescue workers in the southeastern part of the state brace for more precipitation.
Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo said the governor returned to Louisiana on Friday because of the flooding. Edwards had been in Colorado for a policy meeting of the Democratic Governors Association but left early because of the storm.
Edwards has scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. Saturday to discuss the flooding situation, which also affected the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion, where the basement flooded.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
