Paul Braun

Nicholas has been downgraded to a tropical depression, but forecasters and public officials warn that the system could bring heavy rains and dangerous flooding to south Louisiana through the weekend.

Louisiana public officials are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Nicholas as the system continues its slow march along the Gulf after making landfall on the central Texas coast early Tuesday morning.

Public officials in storm-weary south Louisiana are on high alert as Tropical Storm Nicholas bears down on the Texas coast, prompting Gov. John Bel Edwards to hold a press conference Monday afternoon.

Eight days after the powerful Hurricane Ida made landfall, it rained in St. Charles Parish, which for some residents was a welcome break from the sweltering temps. But not for Todd Benoit, whose destroyed Hahnville home was taking on more damage as the rain poured onto the lot.

Though the announcement was made earlier Wednesday, Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a press conference later that afternoon that the president would visit Friday to assess the damage from the Category 4 storm, which made landfall Sunday. Details of the president’s trip to the Pelican State are sparse at this time.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, the Louisiana National Guard has rescued 191 citizens and 27 pets, but Louisiana officials said there have been at least two confirmed deaths as of Monday. Those numbers are expected to rise as state officials continue to assess the damage wrought by the storm, Edwards said.

As Hurricane Ida continues to batter southeast Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Sunday afternoon that search and rescue operations will not begin until first light Monday morning due to the Category 4 storm’s dangerous conditions.

Gov. John Bel Edwards warned Louisianans in the path of Hurricane Ida that time is running out for them to make their final preparations and take shelter before what is expected to be a Category 4 storm begins to batter the Louisiana coast.

As Hurricane Ida gains strength faster than forecasters anticipated at a time when COVID cases and hospitalizations are the worst they’ve been since the pandemic, Gov. John Bel Edwards urged Louisianans to make final preparations and get out of the path of what is expected to be a Category 4 hurricane at landfall.

On the day before the anniversary of Hurricane Laura, and as Louisianians eye another storm forming in the Gulf, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell toured storm-ravaged southwest Louisiana Thursday with Gov. John Bel Edwards and discussed federal disaster aid with local officials.