Parish president declares state of emergency

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Back-to-back rains cause flooding in Eunice area
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A state of emergency was declared for St. Landry Parish before noon Wednesday as heavy rains returned to the parish following flooding Sunday.
Parish President Bill Fontenot noted the parish “... is presently faced with a pending emergency due to the imminent threat of flooding from very heavy rains ocurring this morning and are expected to continue throughout the day into Thursday.
“Rains today compounded with the heavy rains experienced on April 30th along with the ongoing flood warning for Bayou Des Cannes have created an emergency situation,” the declaration stated.
“The only area experiencing some flooding at this time is Eunice, northwest area,” Fontenot said in a text message.
Public schools were to close at 2 p.m. Wednesday due to the rain, according to a news release from Patrick Jenkins, St. Landry Parish school superintendent.
LSUE closed at 12:30 p.m. Van Reed, spokesman, said tests scheduled for Wednesday would be rescheduled.
The flooding began Sunday when 6 of 8 inches of rain fell.
Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot said sandbags were available at the City Barn on Bobcat Drive and at the Northwest Community Center.
Sandbags and sand were available at the Northwest Community Center from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, he said. The sand and bags are from St. Landry Parish Government.
People were asked to bring their own shovels for the sand at the Northwest Community Center.
The mayor called Sunday’s storm “pretty rough,” but by Tuesday afternoon the Eunice area was drying out.
But Wednesday’s morning’s deluge turned the area back into a flood zone.
Acadia Parish K.P. Gibson advised that Fournerat Road near Bayou Des Cannes ws experiencing flooding by mid-morning.
On Tuesday, sandbags lined Faith Christian Worship Center on Stanford Road where water covered the road in places.
Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot urged people not drive into areas covered by floodwater.