On August 12, 2016 a prolonged torrential rainfall hit southern parts of the state of Louisiana, United States, resulting in a catastrophic flooding that submerged thousands of houses and businesses.
Governor of the state, John Bel Edwards later described the disaster as a historic, unprecedented flooding event, declaring a state of emergency in the area hit.
According to local media, many rivers and waterways – particularly the Amite and Comite rivers in the state – reached their record levels. The rainfall is said to have exceeded 20 inches (510 mm) in multiple parishes. The flood has also been described as the worst natural disaster in the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Up to 13 deaths have been reported from the disaster.
As the rain has stopped and people are assessing the level of damage caused, more details have emerged regarding the responses of both the state and federal governments.
The Free Thought Project reports that if communities in the devastated areas had relaxed, waiting for help from the state or the federal government, more lives and properties would have been destroyed.
It is said the government’s response to the disaster was woefully abysmal. However, communities came together, committing everything they had at their disposal to make sure that they saved human lives, animals and properties, as best they could.
According to the Free Thought Project, before the National Guard was deployed to the affected areas, members of the communities had rescued thousands of people from their homes. Residents reportedly used their own boats, forming a “Cajun Navy” to sail on the flood waters, searching for survivors and evacuate them to safety.
Residents also created a Facebook group; urging stranded residents to post the GPS locations, so that boats could find and evacuate them to safety.
Churches also reportedly opened their doors to those in need, taking up food and water supply donations for families in need.
It is said all these were done by residents, days before the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Red Cross arrived in these areas.
As the water receded, groups of local volunteers went house to house in the hardest hit areas, hoping to give help to anybody they could find.
Apart from the individual efforts, private businesses across the state also played a significant role, ensuring residents got the relief and support they needed. The Free Thought Project confirms that nearly every grocery store in town has tents set up in their parking lots to receive donations for families in need. Go Fund Me accounts’ were set up for those who had no flood insurance. Local businesses, like Parish Ink, sold special items and donated 100% of the proceeds to flood victims.
The Free Thought Projects’ Matt Agorist, who volunteered in New Orleans during the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005, testifies “this private effort is undoubtedly responsible for saving the lives of thousands not to mention, their pets and livestock too.” Agorist followed this current disaster closely.
To add to the testimony of Agorist, Kevin Boyd of the FEE.org also highlights the role played by local residents of Louisiana. Boyd writes: “The people of Louisiana also distributed immediate relief to their displaced neighbors much more efficiently than the government was able to. One of the best examples of this was the conversion of a movie studio into a shelter housing over 2,000 people.”
The areas flooded were not flood-prone zones; therefore, many homeowners were without flood insurance. This means, those who lost their homes still need help. As locals are still working around the clock to ensure that these unfortunate people get new homes, FEMA is doing public relations for the federal government. The agency has failed to provide a detailed plan to help the people recover from this disaster.
Since efforts played by the communities were made public, observers have commended volunteers, local businesses, and anybody who made sure that at least, the people affected had a temporal accommodation. The communities are now urging benevolent individuals and organizations to come to the aid of those in need, as the government has failed yet again.
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