 The 21 Louisiana parishes that were designated as federal disaster areas by FEMA in the aftermath of the floods. | |
| Date | August 12, 2016–August 22, 2016[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Most of southern Louisiana, United States |
| Deaths | 13 |
| Property damage | $10–15 billion[2] |
In August 2016, prolonged rainfall from an unpredictable storm resulted in catastrophic flooding in the state of Louisiana, United States; thousands of houses and businesses were submerged. Louisiana's governor, John Bel Edwards, called the disaster a "historic, unprecedented flooding event" and declared a state of emergency. Many rivers and waterways, particularly the Amite and Comite rivers, reached record levels, and rainfall exceeded 20 inches (510 mm) in multiple parishes.
Because numerous homeowners who were affected were without flood insurance, the federal government provided disaster aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).[3] The flood was called the worst US natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.[4] At least 13 deaths were reported as a result of the flooding.[5]
- ^ "August 2016 Flood Summary Page, New Orleans/Baton Rouge". US National Weather Service. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ "Louisiana flooding will cost U.S. economy more than $10 billion". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. September 9, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
- ^ Montano, Samantha (August 23, 2016). "The Louisiana floods are devastating, and climate change will bring more like them. We're not ready". vox.com. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- ^ Yan, Holly; Flores, Rosa (August 19, 2016). "Louisiana flood: Worst US disaster since Hurricane Sandy, Red Cross says". CNN. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "What caused the historic August 2016 flood, and what are the odds it could happen again?". The Advocate. August 5, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2022.