GONZALES, La. (AP) – The heartbreaking task of sorting through waterlogged belongings and ripping out carpets and drywall is kicking into high gear Wednesday in flood-wracked southern Louisiana as the state faces a long-term challenge of how to house thousands of displaced people.
But even as the water receded in some areas, it was rising in other places downstream, sending people fleeing to shelters.
Officials painted a stark picture of the crisis: at least 40,000 homes damaged and 11 people killed in some of the worst flooding in Louisiana history. More than 30,000 people have been rescued since Friday.
There were scattered reports of looting, and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said parishes with widespread damage were being placed under curfew as of Tuesday night.
The smell of muddy water hung heavy in the air as people donned surgical masks and began the back-breaking job of ripping out soggy carpet, drywall and insulation. They cleared out spiders and cockroaches that had bubbled up through the sewer grates.