Louisiana governor declares emergency amid flooding concerns

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana is under a state of emergency amid concerns about high river levels caused by increased rain over the last few weeks.

Gov. John Bel Edwards issued the declaration Wednesday for Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Catahoula, Rapides, St. Tammany and Washington parishes.

In a statement, Edwards said many regions of the state saw near-record rainfall in December and in the first few days of 2019. He says by issuing the declaration now, the state will be able to answer any potential calls for support from local emergency managers if needed.

Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Jim Waskom says more rain is expected over the next few days. He's urging residents who live in areas prone to river flooding to stay aware until the flood threat ends.

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