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Some homes in Ascension Parish still underwater

7 years 7 months 1 day ago Friday, August 26 2016 Aug 26, 2016 August 26, 2016 6:20 PM August 26, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ

PRAIRIEVILLE – While most people are cleaning up after last week’s historic flooding, dozens living near Spanish Lake in Ascension Parish remain under water.

In one area along Ridge Road in Ascension Parish, people are still waiting for waters to recede. Some homes can only be reached by boat.

The water has gone down a few inches over the past few days, but at that rate it will be weeks before it dries up completely.

In his lifted truck, Jason Richardson gave WBRZ News 2 a tour of his flooded neighborhood.

“This guy here had pumps and fought the water for nine days,” Richardson said. “Then the sandbags gave way in the front and the water rushed in and flooded him out.”

Most people are still using boats to get around. Nearly 40 homes along Ridge Road have been flooded for 12 days. Linda and David Braud consider themselves lucky.

“We had an escape plan if it got too bad,” David Braud said. “I have a boat and we could get out. You keep the water out with the sandbags, but fi water gets in, it can’t go anywhere unless you pump it out. It’s been a struggle.”

Richardson lives across the street from the Brauds. His home is under water. He fought the water from coming into his home for three days, but it eventually overpowered the pumps and he had to give up. About one foot of water entered his home.

Richardson is one of the few homeowners who did have flood insurance, but he didn’t have the contents of his home covered. He doesn’t believe he will get enough money back to replace everything he lost, but he says he is still better off than many of his neighbors.

Now, he is still salvaging what family memories are left inside his house, taking a little out each time he comes back out to check on his neighbors.

“We are just taking it day by day,” he says.

While the rest of Louisiana guts homes and cleans up, these folks are still fighting the flood, feeling forgotten.

“We’re going to stick together as a community, help each other out like we’ve been doing this whole time,” Richardson said.

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