Flash Flood watch remains for St. John Parish; sandbags available
Published 6:52 am Monday, October 26, 2015
- A Flash Flood Watch remains in place until 1 p.m. Monday.
LAPLACE — After nearly 7.5 inches of rainfall in St. John the Baptist Parish caused street flooding and power outages, a Flash Flood Watch remains in place until 1 p.m. Monday, and a Coastal Flood Warning has been issued until 7 p.m. Monday due to strong onshore flow and higher than normal tides in Lake Pontchartrain.
With a break in rainfall overnight and a shift in wind direction, street flooding has subsided in most areas, parish officials said.
Drainage canals throughout the Parish remain full, and drainage pumps continue to pump water through the system. Highway 51 is closed from the I-55 ramps to Ruddock.
The right lane of Highway 51 is also closed from Woodland Drive to I-10. Motorists can access interstate. Roadways are passable; however, residents should use caution as street flooding remains as threat.
The National Weather Service has forecasted a 40 percent chance of rain, light showers and heavier wind conditions throughout Monday. Any additional rainfall could cause street flooding and canals to overflow onto canal banks and backyards.
Strong winds could cause sporadic power outages.
Beginning at 7 a.m., sandbags will be available at 425 Captain G. Bourgeois, should residents be threatened by coastal flooding.
The Public Works Department will be cleaning drainage canals and catch basins Monday morning in preparation for additional rainfall. The Utilities Department is also on hand for concerns with infiltration in the wastewater system. Residents are asked to assist with cleaning catch basins in neighborhoods.
Following heavy rainfall and infiltration, the wastewater system is operating at maximum capacity throughout the Parish. St. John residents are asked to minimize the amount of discharge placed into the wastewater system in an effort to prevent overflows.
Activities such as washing clothes, running dishwashers, flushing toilets and all other activities that discharge into the collection system should be limited until further notice. Taking showers and baths are not included in the conservation measures.
The St. John Parish water system is not impacted and water is safe for consumption.
In St. Charles Parish: TWO ROAD CLOSURES TO MONDAY MORNING: Evangeline Road in Montz between the tracks and Airline is impassible due to high water; portions of Bayou Gauche Road on the island are impassable due to flooding.
Please drive slowly and use caution when driving as water has ponded in low areas. If barricades are present, do not drive around them.
Any questions or concerns may be directed to the St. Charles Parish Emergency Operations Center at 985-783-5050 24 hours a day.
