Floods / Massive rain storms

Thanks, Kelly!

 

My word that is a lot of precipitation! What's expected by next week is well above my yearly levels.

 

Friday morning we had 16" of rain between daybreak and just before noon near me. The Baton Rouge area as a whole received anywhere between that number and 22".

I've been through numerous hurricanes and extreme rainfall events, but I've never seen water rise so quickly as in this case. Thankfully, it has finally stopped raining and water is slowly draining.

 

Now that the weather has passed and most areas are becoming accessible again, I can say that I think the extent and severity of the damage caused by this storm is being seriously underestimated by those who are not local to see/experience it (I think even I took it a bit lightly until seeing footage of the aftermath). I've seen numerous people scold others for comparing this to Hurricane Katrina. I was in a suburb of New Orleans (hit equally as hard) for Katrina, and I can say that what I've seen this weekend has been far more widespread and on par or worse. There wasn't the wind and storm surge damage that a hurricane would bring, but the extent of flooding is incredible. That, coupled with the fact that it must flow downstream means flooding will continue in other communities until this water finishes its path south.

To provide an example, Livingston Parish (County) lies just east of Baton Rouge. There are roughly 130,000-140,000 people in the parish. It's estimated that ~105,000 of them received significant flooding due to this event and are now displaced.

On a happier, orchid-related note, I spoke with John at LOC today, and their nursery and homes have been spared.