Louisiana Relief Groups Step In to Help Imelda Victims

NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) -

Louisiana relief agencies are stepping into assist hundreds of people affected by flooding from tropical storm Imelda.

While areas around Houston and Beaumont are being hardest hit, southwest Louisiana is also seeing flooding

All too familiar images, where hunreds of evacuations are now underway due to rains from Imelda.

After some high water vehicles got stuck, houston police were looking for boats to get out residents trapped in inundated homes.

Cajun Navy Relief, an organization that started in Louisiana now has hundreds of members across the country including Texas, and they are now moving in.

"They've requested a number of boats from our organization to ocme assist, and they may ask for more," said Shawn Boudreaux, with Cajun Navy Relief.

The relief group is now setting up in staging areas in the towns of Houston, Vidor and Beaumont, but flooding is making logistics tough.

"Every exit is blocked, a lot of vehicles are stopped with nowhere to go," said Boudreaux.

Locally the red cross says it is in constant contact with relief groups in Texas and ready to assist.

" Our respone to storms is ever evolving...and we're always ready to support our neighbors," said Katy Sandusky with the Southeast La. chapter of the American Red Cross.

While Cajun Navy Relief says more help will be needed they are looking for owners to step up with specific types of boats.

" Airboats, zodiacs, aluminum flat bottom boats are ideal, with surface drives," said Boudreaux.

And with more rain on the way and expect to be conducting rescues well into the night.

Houston's airports have been closed for part of the day, and many flights there out of New Orleans are cancelled.

Some portions of Beaumont have gotten as much as 42 inches of rain this week. if you would like to help this relief effort, contact, the red cross or cajun navy relief.

Here are the links:https://www.cajunnavyrelief.com/;https://www.redcross.org