It can rain hard in Louisiana, that’s a given. But on August 11, 2016, the residents of Layfayette were caught in an unprecedented storm that had no name, but refused to move. It remained stationary over the Baton Rouge/Lafayette area for two days, dumping 2-3 inches of rain per hour. By the end, the area had been hit with an average of 21-24 inches of rainfall had hit the area, with some areas receiving over 30 inches. The Vermilion River crested at 17.62 feet, the second highest level in its recorded history.
The damage that came from that storm was devastating and the cost was estimated between $10 billion and $15 billion. 150,000 homes were damaged in Louisiana from those two days of rain and 10,000 people had to escape to shelters.
The Lafayette Parish Flood Forum grew out of the need for the community to come together when disasters strike. The groups represents residents impacted by flooding, increasing awareness and advocating for solutions. Watch “Diary of a Flood Victim, Lafayette, Louisiana” to learn more about the impacts of flooding, and the problems residents are experiencing in their neighborhood.
Written by Michele Gielis
Links
20 inches of rain falls, hundreds rescued, The Advertiser, August 13, 2016
Flooding in the South Looks a Lot Like Climate Change, The New York Times, August, 16, 2016
August 2016 extreme rain and floods along the Gulf Coast, Climate.gov, August 19, 2016
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Melanie Brevis
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Climate Impacts
Flooding
Strategies
Halting Bad Development
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