Baton Rouge, LA

My hometown is a mess. Huge rain for 4 days or so has caused flooding beyond anything seen here, ever. Rescues in regular neighborhoods that I've been through many times, so totally unexpected by everyone from government to the homeowner. The usual good guys are doing their jobs above and beyond, police, sheriffs, Coast Guard, National Guard, etc. The really unexpected good guys are the boaters. Call went out that anyone with a boat is welcome to help with sar, and these guys showed up in droves. The interstate I-10 has been shut down, so these guys have been launching from the entry/exit ramps on 10 and going throug neighborhoods getting people out to dry land. Nobody looking to be a hero, just doing what needs to be done.
Lots of people trapped on 10 in their cars when it was shut down, spent the night in the cars last night. I missed that party by 10 minutes after I tried to go checks on the boat in my slip, no luck on that count, roads shut down south of 10 where I needed to go. Turned around and hauled ass back toward BTR and got stuck in a four lane wide traffic jam and held up by the overflowing Amite River. Police were letting one lane go through the water on the bridge, maybe 18 inches plus. I don't see how the little cars made it and was praying one of the wouldn't stall and stop the whole parade. I got through and 10 minutes later I-10 was shut down. Way too close.
It's a catastrophe here, 20K plus people flooded out, no place to live and lots with no flood insurance because it's never flooded like this. The numbers aren't in but 20K is probably way light considering this disaster stretches from BTR east to the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain. I'm good through no fault of my own, I bought my house on high ground and didn't even know it.
Now the boat issue remains to be seen, it's either floating or not. Really doesn't bother me all that much after seeing what all these other guys are going through.
Mike
Baton Rouge

Damn Mike. Hate to hear that. My wife was born in BR and we have family who work there (but live out of town).

Hope y'all are OK.

I'm good Dude, thanks for asking, daughter here with me till this is over, she didn't get flooded but was worried that she might. Son lives in Houston and the best girlfriend in the world is in Corpus Christi with grandkids.

Be safe Mr. GC...

Wow Mike, sorry for your troubles but thankful your family is safe physically.

Man, the floods look devastating. Glad you are fairing well Commanch. What about the rest of you guys checking in when you can. How about Paul and Star210? How about our Thibodaux contingent?

Gulf, It's horrific! Most of our family is in Baton Rouge. We've been glued to FB all day getting updates. Cell service is pretty much down since an ATT station took on water. FB via wifi is the best way to communicate. Areas that have not flooded in 50-100 years (or more) are flooding. And they're not in flood zones, so mostly no flood insurance. My niece has 5' of water in her house. My brother has water up to his foundation and will probably have water on the house overnight. Same with my husbands sister. My MIL will also have water in her house. They've all evacuated so we won't know until a day or so.

One clarification: Are you sure it was I-10 that was shutdown and had stranded passengers and not I-12?

Wow-been following this on the news. What a disaster. However, great to see that so many of those who can help, are out there doing so. Big thanks to them all.

Moonstruck said:

What about the rest of you guys checking in when you can. How about Paul and Star210? How about our Thibodaux contingent?

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Great idea Don. Star had a post earlier today I think but haven't heard from Steve or Swampu Paul since this got started. Trying to think of others off the top of my head.

Steve from Thibodaux posted on Star0210's thread titled "ATTN S. Louisiana boaters...urgent request" He said "My oldest son lives near Lafayette, yesterday the water came up to about an inch from his threshold, the rain slacked off and it receded some. The road into his subdivision has been closed do to flooding since yesterday AM. "

Don, Thibodaux and I believe Houma are doing fine I checked my boat in Houma yesterday morning the water in the marina right off the GICW mile 57 WHL was up maybe 10-12" above normal. We did have lots of rain Friday but Sat. and Sunday just light drizzle. I am sure here may have been some street flooding but I haven't heard of anything major.
LOTS of flooding North of Lake Pontchartrain, areas of and around Baton Rouge, and Lafayette about 11 inches of rain the last 3 days. I really think the terrain around here is so flat it would take a tremendous amount of water to cause widespread flooding even thogh we are only 10-15' above sea level.
I have sons in Lafayette and Baton Rouge, street flooding in their neighborhoods and yards but not in their houses. Our thoughts go to the thousands who are now homeless.

Definitely very serious and very tragic. We've been checking it periodically online

River Rat said:

Gulf, It's horrific! Most of our family is in Baton Rouge. We've been glued to FB all day getting updates. Cell service is pretty much down since an ATT station took on water. FB via wifi is the best way to communicate. Areas that have not flooded in 50-100 years (or more) are flooding. And they're not in flood zones, so mostly no flood insurance. My niece has 5' of water in her house. My brother has water up to his foundation and will probably have water on the house overnight. Same with my husbands sister. My MIL will also have water in her house. They've all evacuated so we won't know until a day or so.

One clarification: Are you sure it was I-10 that was shutdown and had stranded passengers and not I-12?

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Yes, I-12 not 10. But now 10 has the problems as the water flows south. PM me if I can help them.

Forgot to mention, got a text from the guy next to my slip, he stayed aboard for this, said Old School is floating and sitting pretty. Big giant relief, can't get down there till water goes down and roads open, maybe 3-4 days.

Gulf Comanche said:

Forgot to mention, got a text from the guy next to my slip, he stayed aboard for this, said Old School is floating and sitting pretty. Big giant relief, can't get down there till water goes down and roads open, maybe 3-4 days.

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Don't blame him for staying aboard. Boats float. We were in SC during the storms and floods a year ago. We were actually in NC part of it, but others on our boat, safely docked in Myrtle Beach.

Gulf Comanche said:

Yes, I-12 not 10. But now 10 has the problems as the water flows south. PM me if I can help them.

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Thanks, I was just checking on family and saw I-10 was closed now as well. So sad.

At least 4 family members have water in their houses and dozens of HS friends have water in their houses.

I'm likely to be making a trip down with supplies to help out.

River Rat said:

Thanks, I was just checking on family and saw I-10 was closed now as well. So sad.

At least 4 family members have water in their houses and dozens of HS friends have water in their houses.

I'm likely to be making a trip down with supplies to help out.

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River Rat: I just PM you my cell number if I can help out please call.

Dude, RTF, Craig, Don, Rvr Rat, Band B, Moon: Thanks for the kind words, its a weird time in this neck of the woods.

Gulf, thank you for your PM. That's very kind. I've replied.

You and yours are okay?

Kitty

River Rat
What do they need? We can try and bring what they need if we know where they are. Water, Food, Portable Gen etc.

As a practical matter there's nothing I can do to help these folks physically but if I understand correctly many of the areas flooded are not in a flood plain requiring insurance? If you folks with skin in the game could keep us apprised of any young couples or other worthy folks needing assistance please post a go fund me style account link so those of us who wish to can contribute.

I bought a soon to be forgotten lunch for four at Applebee's today. Nothing against the restaurant or the meal but that bill could just as easily purchased two weeks worth of diapers or something else practical for a recently homeless family.

Good idea, Craig. I would certainly kick in to help anyone recommended by a fellow TF'er.

CPseudonym said:

As a practical matter there's nothing I can do to help these folks physically but if I understand correctly many of the areas flooded are not in a flood plain requiring insurance? If you folks with skin in the game could keep us apprised of any young couples or other worthy folks needing assistance please post a go fund me style account link so those of us who wish to can contribute.

I bought a soon to be forgotten lunch for four at Applebee's today. Nothing against the restaurant or the meal but that bill could just as easily purchased two weeks worth of diapers or something else practical for a recently homeless family.

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+1

I'm sure there will be others but here are a few:

American Red Cross
NOLA Pay It Forward Fund: Helping Families in Neighboring Parishes | Greater New Orleans Foundation
https://apel.site-ym.com/donations/donate.asp?id=14775 helps teachers rebuild classrooms
https://www.gofundme.com/2jdh3xg4 Denham Springs Animal shelter
Companion Animal Alliance pet shelter
https://www.gofundme.com/2j453p7w humane society

Y'all are so great! I think my family has enough folks in the area to cover them. But, so so many do not! And of course the Red Cross is always a good choice.

Here's a link to an Amazon wishlist my friend set up for her church. They are supplying one of the shelters. It has baby food, hygiene items, etc.

"The items purchased from this list will go to Grace Church, St. Francisville, Louisiana, for delivery to people in shelters who have been displaced from their homes in the historic 2016 floods in southeast Louisiana."

https://www.amazon.com/registry/giftlist/2JDYVPZXVZBCO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ip_gl_o_mdJSxbVPTAKVN

If I come across a particular need I'll certainly let you all know.

Kitty

When it floods here someone almost always drives into fast running water cutting a road or flowing over a bridge. The car can get washed away, often a drowning or an heroic rescue results. So if I could say one thing, don`t drive into flooded roadways unless you know for sure you can get through.
The only thing I know for sure about Baton Rouge is it gets a mention on the Donald Fagen(of Steely Dan fame)song "I`m Lester the Nightfly at old Baton Rouge...)

Maybe overstating things, but I think this is history being made in Baton Rouge and the larger area around here for sure but where else has something on this magnitude happened? Pompei on a much smaller scale comes to mind. Wonder what happened after it was blown away by the volcano. Would love to be an anthropologist 30 years from now and see what the changes are. Where do these folks that lost it all go? How will this upset the status quo over the next 10 20 30 years? We're just a blip on the grand scheme of life but I'd love to be around long enough to see how it works out.
Well then, one more bourbon/water then off to rack time.

We got great news last night. 3 of the houses we just knew were under water actually were not! And the water in Denham Springs has dropped enough to check on my nieces house.

So many great stories of people helping each other!

Kitty

Gulf Comanche said:

Maybe overstating things, but I think this is history being made in Baton Rouge and the larger area around here for sure but where else has something on this magnitude happened?

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Katrina?

BaltimoreLurker said:

Katrina?

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Katrina for sure. Met some Texas friends in New Orleans a while back and they wanted to see the 9th Ward area, so we took a tour. I expected to see trashed out homes etc. but that was not the case at all. I think a lot of young people are moving in and fixing it up. That's the upside. Downside is the crime that is out of control and getting worse. When I was a kid I spent summers there as my Mom and family were from there. You could walk anywhere without fear. Not now, even the Quarter is best viewed from a taxi window at night.
Local news last night said 40K+ homes destroyed/trashed in the flooded area. Hope I can get to the boat by this weekend.