NEW ORLEANS - A New Orleans official has announced plans to retire and the city's mayor wants other people fired days after torrential rains flooded the city.

  

Local media report that Executive Director Cedric Grant of the Sewerage and Water Board on Tuesday announced that he will retire in the fall, saying in a statement that he learned parts of the city's drainage system "did not operate as they should have" during Sunday's storms.

  

He blamed agency staff for not being "forthright" about the issues.

  

Shortly after, Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced the city's public works director will resign. Landrieu said he also wants the Sewerage and Water Board to fire its superintendent and communications director.

  

The statements on Tuesday afternoon followed a special meeting of the City Council on the widespread flooding.