The major challenges facing the Sheriff’s Office at this time are downed trees, downed power lines, and street flooding.
Deputies have documented nearly 100 trees falling across roadways or on power lines throughout the parish. As reported by the utility companies, tens of thousands of people in St. Tammany remain without power. The Sheriff’s Office is now receiving calls from residents whose homes are surrounded by water, and rescue operations are underway in several of those areas.
Stop signs and traffic lights have been blown down or are out of service throughout the parish. Residents who absolutely must be on the road are urged to proceed through intersections with extreme caution. Numerous roadways throughout the parish are now impassable due to flooding. Residents are urged to stay off the roads unless it is absolutely necessary.
Deputies with the Marine division rescued a man and his dog from a bayou near Hwy. 90 in the Slidell area this morning. The man was in a kayak attempting to travel from his home to his truck, which was parked on the highway. The man called 911 when the wind toppled his kayak. Deputies responded to the area, tied a rope to their vehicles, and swam into the bayou to bring the man (and his dog) to safety.
Marine division deputies have also had to secure numerous water craft on the Tchefuncte River. The boats had not been properly secured prior to the storm and were drifting toward other boats and property.
