LaPlace neighbors blame poor drainage, drivers for worsening flood conditions

Jordan Lippincott
·2 min read

LAPLACE, La. (WGNO) — Some who live in LaPlace are still cleaning up following Wednesday’s rain event.

Kareniesha Victor, who lives on Madewood Drive, says she and her family recently moved back into their house following Hurricane Ida.

On Thursday, Victor took the license plate off her car as she waited for a tow truck. Her car, which was parked above the curb on Madewood Drive, flooded during the midweek storm.

“It was underneath the water, and the cars that constantly kept passing, they just constantly kept passing, it was very inconsiderate,” Victor said. “And every time they passed, they were pushing water inside of our home.”

Before exiting her home to assess her car, Victor says she was met with floodwater at her front door.

“Basically, I had to save my home, and I had to move fast, think fast, and the kids didn’t go to school, so I had them laying down towels,” Victor explained. “We were mopping floors to make sure that the floors weren’t getting soaking wet.”

Residents process EF-2 tornado that hit the Slidell area

Crews with St. John Parish Public Works placed barricades throughout the neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, attempting to reroute traffic, but some neighbors say that’s not enough.

“Of course, it can be improved, but yes, I did see work being done, but I don’t think it was done expeditiously,” Victor said.

Those are some of the things neighbors are asking for.

“We are getting tired of it, you know, try to push for the drains to get fixed, try to push for, you know, we know this weather was coming, so try to have the workers out earlier,” Victor said.

According to the National Weather Service, Laplace received around nine inches of rain Wednesday.

We reached out to the parish president and the district’s council person for comment, but we didn’t hear back.

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