BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana National Guard says more than 1,000 guardsmen are currently assisting with emergency flood operations in the wake of last week’s heavy rainfall.

So far, the National Guard’s operations have included evacuations, engineer assessment search and rescue, distribution of meals and water, security and shelter support and sandbag distribution.

During current operations, the Louisiana National Guard reports they have rescued over 5,185 citizens and 665 pets. They’ve also issued more than 160,000 bottles of water and more than 8,000 MREs. More than a million sandbags and 50 tarps have been issued.

Louisiana National Guard liaison officer teams are currently operating in 15 parishes: Bossier, Beauregard, Claiborne, Caldwell, Calcasieu Caddo, Grant, Franklin, Livingston, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Richland, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, and Vernon.

To aid in their efforts, guardsmen have used more than 215 high-water vehicles, 53 boats and six helicopters. Shelter support efforts centered in Richland Parish where 700 cots and blankets were issued.

Guardsmen will continue to operate in affected parishes until the need for flood support comes to a conclusion.