Francine’s heavy rainfall forces dramatic water rescues as even more flooding is on the horizon

WDSU, CNN

By Dalia Faheid and Mary Gilbert, CNN

(CNN) — Francine is spreading dangerous conditions across the South Thursday after it slammed into Louisiana with extreme rainfall, life-threatening flooding and destructive winds that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands amid reports of flooded homes.

• Serious flood threat from weakening Francine: Francine made landfall in Terrebonne Parish as a Category 2 hurricane late Wednesday afternoon and weakened to a tropical depression Thursday morning as it tracked into the South, bringing flooding rainfall and prompting flood alerts for more than 10 million people. Storm surge was a serious concernfor parts of eastern Louisiana and coastal Mississippi early Thursday. By Thursday afternoon, Francine had deteriorated into a post-tropical cyclone. Though its winds no longer pose a major threat, heavy rain will continue falling in the Southeast on Friday. Up to 8 inches of rain could douse the region through Friday. As the storm slows down, it will linger for longer over areas it passes through, exacerbating the risk of flooding. Flooding caused by rainfall has become the deadliest threat of tropical systems in the last decade.

• Hundreds of structures reportedly flooded: Flooding has been reported at 350 structures in Louisiana’s St. Charles Parish, a parish spokesperson, Francesca Holt Blanchard, told CNN Thursday afternoon. “Our Department of Planning and Zoning is working with residents to confirm that the flooding is inside the home’s living space and not in a garage or carport,” Holt Blanchard said. In neighboring Jefferson Parish, more than 50 homes in the city of Kenner took on water during the storm, according to a city spokesperson. At least eight properties in nearby Lafourche Parish were damaged, the parish said in a statement, but officials expect that number to increase as crews survey the damage left behind.

• Flood emergency and water rescues in Louisiana: Francine brought more than a month’s worth of rain to New Orleans in a matter of hours. Between 6 and 8 inches of rain deluged the area and triggered a rare flash flood emergency — the most severe flood alert — Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy rain flooded roadways and cut off travel routes in other parishes. Deputies in Lafourche Parish sprang into action Wednesday night to rescue 26 residents trapped in flooded homes, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office. At least 3 to 4 inches of rain soaked the area. Francine also churned water into homes in St. James Parish, officials said. And in Jefferson Parish, officials urged households to limit their water usage through Thursday evening as the parish’s large and aging sewer system became overwhelmed by storm runoff. Officials expect the system to be operational sometime Friday.

• Hundreds of thousands without power: Power outages topped 450,000 homes and businesses in Louisiana Thursday morning but power crews worked to restore service throughout the day. By Thursday night, just under 150,000 remained in the dark, according to PowerOutage.us. Energy customers in Mississippi and Alabama also experienced outages as Francine’s strong winds and heavy rain pummeled the region. Wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph pounded south-central and southeast Louisiana Wednesday evening, downing trees and power lines in multiple parishes, including Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. James. A state trooper who was cleaning up downed trees near Gonzalez, Louisiana, suffered a minor injury after being struck by a tree.

• Louisiana parishes start moving back to normal operations: Government services in multiple southern parishes will resume within the next couple of days as roadways and debris are cleared and pump systems used to clear storm water are checked. A spokesperson for oil and gas company Chevron said they are conducting flyovers over facilities and plan to send personnel to their production facilities Thursday afternoon.

• Francine’s final stretch: Now a post-tropical cyclone, Francine is expected to rain itself out over the Southeast Friday and then fully dissipate over the weekend. Flooding still poses a significant threat in the region Friday while the storm releases more heavy rain. Flood watches are in effect for around 8 million people across parts of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia, the Weather Prediction Center said. The watches begin to expire Friday evening and Saturday morning. The heaviest rainfall is expected for Friday across central Alabama, though 2 to 4 inches are possible across Arkansas, Kentucky and Georgia.

New Orleans nurse pulls off dramatic rescue

Miles Crawford was standing outside his home Wednesday night watching Francine pound New Orleans with torrential rainfall and gusty winds when he noticed police activity.

A text from Crawford’s brother alerted him that someone had driven into rising floodwaters nearby. Crawford, a registered nurse with the University Medical Center New Orleans, did the only thing he could think of: act.

“I put my boots on and went out there to see if they (the police on scene) needed any help,” Crawford told CNN.

He found police assessing a flooded vehicle from a distance. But it wasn’t empty — a person was trapped inside with water already reaching their neck. Crews on scene were wary of the danger the flooded road posed, but Crawford took action even after being told it wasn’t safe.

“Something needed to be done and something quick,” Crawford explained.

“I made a game time decision,” Crawford continued. “I went and grabbed a hammer at my house.”

Crawford returned to the chest-high floodwater and used the hammer to break a window in the back of the vehicle. The occupant was able to move from the front seat and escape from the back.

After a brief stumble in the chest deep floodwaters, Crawford and the person he saved without a second thought navigated to safety.

Crawford credited his training at University Medical Center for his fearlessness and drive to help others.

“We’re used to acting swiftly to do what needs to be done to save lives,” Crawford said. “Anybody behind those doors would’ve done the same thing. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

CNN’s Michael Yoshida, Taylor Romine, Rachel Ramirez, Robert Shackelford, Elizabeth Wolfe, Taylor Ward, Sara Smart, Brandon Miller, Chris Boyette, Amanda Musa, Robert Shackelford and Melissa Alonso contributed to this report.

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