Meanwhile, Louisiana is suffering from some of the worst flooding the state has seen since Katrina, with the Baton Rouge area along I-10 and I-12 the hardest hit.
Rescue efforts intensified Sunday as historic rain that paralyzed much of southeastern Louisiana eased while floodwaters continued to bring havoc to the battered region.
State Police helicopters delivered food and water to hundreds of motorists stuck for more than 24 hours in flooding near Baton Rouge. More than 7,000 people — and 500 pets — were rescued from homes, businesses and cars overwhelmed by the unrelenting waters, Gov. John Bel Edwards said. He said the death toll from flooding remained at three, with one person missing.
Parts of the area have been blasted by up to 25 inches of rain since Friday. The weather improved Sunday, but Edwards warned that flooding issues will continue for days.
"This is a serious event, ongoing," Edwards said at a Sunday news conference. "It's not over."
The Amite and Comite rivers were among those hit with record flooding. Jeff Gaschel, a hydrologist for the National Weather Service, said some areas of the Amite River won't crest until Monday. He said the area had similar rainfall amounts in 2001, but over a longer period of time.
Gov. Edwards himself had to evacuate the governor's mansion due to record flooding. Expect to see more extreme, record-setting weather events like this as climate change magnifies the effects of storms and temperature.
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