LAFAYETTE, La. — Rescue efforts intensified Sunday as a break in the weather allowed State Police helicopters to drop food and water to more than 1,000 motorists stuck in floodwaters on Interstate 12 near Baton Rouge.
More than 7,000 people and 500 pets have been rescued from the waters sweeping across much of southeastern Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards said. He said the death toll from flooding remained at three, with one person missing.
"We are not in control as far as how fast these floodwaters will recede, and in fact they are still going up in some places," Edwards said at a news conference Sunday. "We are asking everyone to be patient."
Edwards said he had sought a federal disaster declaration to expedite assistance.
Some motorists have been stranded for almost 24 hours. Boats were unable to reach the motorist due to the sporadic areas of dry land, and five state troopers were on the ground aiding stranded motorists, State Police Supt. Col Michael Edmonson said.
Dominique Dugas of Lafayette and her family was among those still stranded Sunday. She said and they were on their way to a funeral in Slidell when they became stranded at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
"There are cars and trucks as far as the eye can see," Dugas said in a phone interview with USA TODAY Network. "We've seen helicopters flying over but we've had no communication or contact with any rescue people."
State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson said troopers were rescuing those with medical conditions first, something Dugas confirmed. "We saw a couple of people who were ill taken away," she said.
"We have to address life and death situations first before quality of life," Edmonson said Sunday.
Flooding was expected to continue through the weekend in southern Louisiana, the National Weather Service warned.
A man in Zachary died after slipping into a flooded ditch and another man died trapped in a submerged pickup in St. Helena Parish, authorities said. The body of a woman from Amite was recovered Saturday from the Tickfaw River, according to Michael Martin, chief of operations for the St. Helena Sheriff’s Office.
About 1,700 National Guard troops have been mobilized, with more on the way. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson said more than 200 roads are closed. More than 5,000 people spent Saturday night in Red Cross shelters, some on floors because of a shortage of cots.
State government offices in 27 southern Louisiana parishes will be closed Monday, State Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne said.
In Scott, La., about 6 miles west of Lafayette, the mayor closed all city streets and said anyone driving could be cited.
Flood stage for the Vermillion River is 10 feet, the level recorded Saturday morning was 16.4 feet, and it is expected to rise to 18.4 feet, a 100-year flood level. Its highest recorded crest was 24.87 feet in 1940.
Lafayette received 10.39 inches of rain Friday after having less than a half inch of rain in early August, according to the National Weather Service. The Vermilion River, which was low before the rain started falling, has reversed course.
"The river's flowing upstream, which means it's flowing into the swamp," said Tom Carroll, Lafayette's public works director. In the 24 years he has worked in his building, Carroll said he has never seen the Vermilion River moving so fast in a northerly direction.
Thousands of homes were without electricity.
In Youngsville, about 10 miles south of Lafayette, the Louisiana National Guard went house to house to rescue residents stranded in waist-high water.
"It happened so fast," said Dana Broussard, who carried a few possessions in plastic bags as she boarded a cargo truck with Noel Comeaux, two dogs and a guinea pig. "We had to climb out of the window to get out. We couldn't open the door or anything. The water ended up past my window. If we hadn't left, we could not have gotten out. And I don't have any flood insurance. What do I do? Who do I call?"
The storms are part of a larger, westward-moving low-pressure system. Edwards declared a state of emergency Friday and even the governor's mansion in Baton Rouge has a flooded basement that forced the governor's family to flee.
The Comite River near Baton Rouge and Amite River near Denham Springs, both in Louisiana, were predicted to set record crests over the weekend. Forecaster Alek Krautmann said both rivers could flood many houses in suburban areas near Baton Rouge.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency for several counties in his state as it also battled the heavy rainfall. In southwest Mississippi, rescues occurred in Amite and Wilkinson counties.In Crosby, Miss., more than 50 people flooded out of a neighborhood will be housed at a shelter in Natchez until at least Monday.
Contributing: Claire Taylor, Kris Wartelle and Seth Dickerson,The (Lafayette, La.) Daily Advertiser; John Bacon, USA TODAY
