Allen Parish suffers extreme flooding post Hurricane Delta

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Hurricane Delta’s impact was felt throughout all of Allen Parish.

“At some point, you go ‘really, I mean really’, Allen Parish Sheriff Doug Hebert said.

That’s how a lot of Southwest Louisiana is feeling after getting hit by two very significant hurricanes just six weeks apart. Allen Parish is rebounding, like everyone else, and Sheriff Doug Hebert says they’ll get there.

“The police chiefs and the mayors and everyone are working together in their individual parts to make sure the whole happens,” Hebert said.

Water is what Hurricane Delta brought and a lot of it.

Flooding is a major issue in Allen Parish. Sheriff Hebert and crews are continuing to rescue residents in need post-storm, but residents also need to do their part and that’s getting out before the water is too high.

“I don’t know how many Parish roads still have water on it and now, but what is bad is that we now have the river coming up fast. So, the roads that are starting to dry, will re-flood and some new roads will flood. It creates a real problem because with Laura we just couldn’t respond with trees and we just cut ourselves through. Now, it’ll be so bad you can’t go in a car and you can’t even go in a high-water vehicle,” explained Hebert.

Ciara Smith, an Allen Parish resident, lives in a flood-prone area and evacuated for Hurricane Delta. Coming back, she doesn’t know what to expect.

"I have small kids. So, I am just trying to stay strong for them. They are all under five. I just have to stay strong for them,” Smith said.

Remaining strong and patient are key moving forward. Sheriff Hebert says Allen Parish might not have the resources other Parish’s do, but they are managing.

“We do have a homeland security person that works for me, but it would be nice to have a team of it. But the reality of it is that we get it done. And whatever else 2020 decides to throw at us, we’ll get that done too,” Hebert said.

Sheriff Hebert says he doesn’t believe anyone in Allen Parish is stranded and in harm’s way, but if so, call the sheriff’s office for help.

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