Cajun Navy's on the way: South Louisiana springs into action to help Texas amid Harvey floods

““The Pelican State managed Sunday to avoid most of Harvey’s fury. But around Baton Rouge, Lafayette and other parts of the state, members of the Cajun Navy sprung into action to return the neighborly love. Many who spent last August wading around south Louisiana’s floodwaters in boats packed them up Sunday and headed west to help rescue Texans caught in the floods.

The forms of help sent Sunday from Louisiana to Texas were both organized and ragtag. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards activated a search-and-rescue team with 10 agents, 10 trucks and 10 boats from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to help in eastern Texas, and has two other teams on stand-by.

Edwards also warned that Louisiana is not “out of the woods” and asked residents to remain vigilant as the state will remain in Harvey’s path for the next week.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch Sunday that lasts through Wednesday for much of southwest Louisiana, spanning from Rapides Parish in the north to Iberville Parish in the east. And forecasters are warning of continued rainfall throughout the week, with estimates in inches reaching the double-digits across much of the southern portion of the state.

"Nearly 12 years ago, Texans opened their doors to the people of Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina devastated our state," Edwards said. "In 2016, Texas Taskforce 1 was dispatched to our state to provide support during the historic floods. We will do nothing less to support to the people of Texas in any way that we can as they respond and recover from Hurricane Harvey.”””
     — Andrea Gallo & Grace Toohey

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