Heavy rains push through central Louisiana, flooding several

RAW - Mayor of Clinton
Published: Oct. 22, 2017 at 5:39 PM CDT|Updated: Oct. 22, 2017 at 9:28 PM CDT
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CLINTON, LA (WAFB) - Just before daybreak, heavy rain pushed their way through central Louisiana, flooding cars and trailers along Highway 10 Sunday.

Residents of Clinton, like many others in East Feliciana parish, were hit hard.

"My parents grew up here. My grandmother's house is 50 years old and I've never seen it happen like this, this often," said longtime Clinton resident, Ronnie Taylor.

Mayor Lori Bell said many streets that flooded a little over a year ago during the August flood, took on floodwater this time around as well. She said the water was coming in constantly and "it was a lot."

Taylor said many people near his home off Clarence Street are still trying to bounce back from last year's devastation, most of them just now finishing their houses.

"And here they go, have to start all over again because the water has come back on them, just that fast," he said.

First responders, like Chief Frederick Dunn with the Clinton Police Department, said it was a scene they weren't ready to face again.

"Deja vu brought us back from the great flood of 2016. It was dangerous but the main focus was getting people out to safety," he said.

As the rain continued to pour, about two dozen families were plucked from their homes and sent to a local temporary shelter. Mayor Bell said she could see the fear in the faces of some residents.

"We just have hope and it's going to be okay," she said.

Up the street, leaders of a community-based organization, Quad Area Community Action Agency, who serve low-income families faced a similar fate. Sandra Baker said their facility flooded in August 2016 and this time, they took on more water. Baker said it's devastating to realize water rushed through their building, pushing books into the hallways.

"We're going to have to go through it again," Baker said. "But we'll do it. We've done it before, we'll do it again."

Promising to come back stronger for the community again.

"We love the people and we want to get up and start it again so as soon as we get it cleaned up, we'll be ready to go again," Baker said.

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