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Heavy Rains Pound Southern States
Written by
Katie Lawson
, Staff Writer, Redcross.org
Friday, October 20, 2006 — Heavy thunder storms that began rolling through the Gulf Coast early this week dumped more than 10 inches of rain in Houston, Texas, and spread as far east as Louisiana. High winds and widespread flooding forced many residents to evacuate their homes. Trained American Red Cross disaster workers are continuing to provide emergency services across the region.
At least four tornadoes were reported to have touched down in southern Louisiana and southeast Texas. According to the Associated Press, for at least four people in Texas, the storms were fatal. The system also damaged hundreds of homes and forced schools to close in northern Louisiana.
Trouble in Texas
Nearly two feet of rain fell in the Houston-Galveston area in a 24-hour period, stranding motorists on flooded freeways. Several interstates around Houston also were shut down as the rain began to taper off Tuesday.
The Orange County Red Cross chapter was at the ready to assist and provide snacks and beverages for emergency management workers on the scene. Two Red Cross emergency response vehicles (ERVs), containing clean-up kits to help residents reclaim flooded homes, were deployed to the area by the Rio Colorado chapter of the Red Cross.
A shelter for stranded families was opened by the Greater Houston chapter and three more shelters were on stand by for residents in the area. The Beaumont chapter also conducted disaster assessments of the area. Initial assessments found more than a dozen homes severely affected by the storms.
Storm Moves East to Louisiana
As the storm system moved east to Louisiana earlier in the week, the rainfall was exceptional. Gov. Kathleen Blanco officially declared a state of emergency for 11 parishes in northern Louisiana due to the deluge. One of the hardest hit areas was Grayson, located in north-central Louisiana's Caldwell Parish. According to the National Weather Service, the town received 17 inches of rain between Sunday evening and Tuesday morning.
Red Cross relief workers from the Capital Area chapter in Baton Rouge, La., assisted several people who were injured when high winds destroyed their mobile home. In addition, volunteers from the Central Louisiana Chapter came to the aid of several people with disabilities who were removed from flooded homes.
The Northeast Louisiana chapter set up a shelter in Monroe for Franklin Parish residents who were forced to leave their homes. Red Cross chapters are keeping a close eye on the full-to-overflowing rivers and bayous for more potential flooding.
To find more information, visit the Flood and Flash Flood section of the "Get Prepared" section of Redcross.org.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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