BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – The State of Louisiana is not even two weeks out of a flooding crisis that killed 13 people and destroyed 60,000 homes and officials are already eyeing a potential tropical storm that could double the damage done.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) and statewide officials are closely monitoring a tropical disturbance that could potentially move its way into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Associated Press.
Edwards said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other state agencies began reviewing possible scenarios for the tropical storm last week, just after the Baton Rouge and surrounding areas were devastated by historic flooding.
Debris and property on the front lawns of those gutting their floods homes could become “a missile” in the midst of a tropical storm or hurricane, Edwards said.
Edwards, though, said he is “fervently praying” that a hurricane or tropical storm will not hit the state, saying “I would appreciate other people’s prayers as well.”
Despite gaining much-needed national attention when GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump visited the flooded region, offering supplies and donating $100,000 to relief efforts–organizations working to aid flood victims have struggled raising funds.
As Breitbart Texas reported, the American Red Cross admitted that getting donations has been tougher than usual, saying the organization “has received approximately $7.8 million in donations and pledges designated to support Louisiana — not nearly enough to cover our costs of at least an estimated $30 million.”
“The needs of the people of Louisiana are great, and we ask the public to please donate as generously as they can,” the Red Cross said in a statement.
Over 106,000 residents have already registered to receive federal aid, as state officials said they have already distributed $20 million for disaster relief.
The news of lower-than-average donations for flood victims through the Red Cross comes just as President Obama visited the state after being widely criticized for not cutting his Martha’s Vineyard vacation short last week.
John Binder is a contributor for Breitbart Texas. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.
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