Governor John Bel Edwards says he saw catastrophic damage following a flyover of hurricane-stricken southeast Louisiana. Edwards spoke briefly with reporters in LaPlace, a city that experienced substantial flooding.
“It was not just surge, but you got plenty of surge, it was not just wind, but you got plenty of that, but also some of the heaviest rains that fell anywhere in the state of Louisiana fell on St. John the Baptist Parish,” said Edwards.
With homes and businesses empty there are concerns some will take advantage and attempt to loot. St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre had this message for looters.
“For the criminal element, if you decide to come to St. John the Baptist Parish, my jail is empty and you are going to be there by yourself,” said Tregre.
Tregre says 9-1-1 service is spotty, which means residents who have stayed behind will take matters into their own hands.
Edwards says he spoke with Entergy for two hours last night discussing the lack of power in southeast Louisiana. In St. Charles Parish, officials there say it may take at least one month before power is restored. Edwards is hopeful some hurricane victims will get power before then.
“I would be…unpleasantly surprised if it was 30 days before we started seeing power restored,” said Edwards.
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