Up to 600 Lake Charles families forced out of homes due to flooding

Tuesday, May 18, 2021
600 Lake Charles families forced out of homes due to flooding
The historic rainfall that pounded Lake Charles couldn't come at a worse time for one family who just finished cleaning up after Hurricane Delta last year.

LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana (KTRK) -- Our neighbors in Lake Charles, Louisiana, are bracing for more rain this week as hundreds of people were displaced due to flooding.

The National Weather Service said some places received 15 inches of rain in just 24 hours. The downpour comes as families are still recovering from Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta.

"Lots of rain. You can see the water line up above the window," said Jennifer Herbert, a Lake Charles resident.

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Herbert showed ABC13 around her now-empty home. After two feet of water flooded her home, they were forced to remove all the furniture and drywall. Unfortunately, it's something they had just experienced in the fall.

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"We actually flooded from Delta and we were in the middle of renovating. We just got done with our kitchen and now we're taking everything out," said Herbert.

She said seeing this happen again just months later is a lot.

"We're just taking one step at a time," said Hebert.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office estimates up to 600 people were displaced by the storm.

"It seems like it never ends," said Ryan Terrell, a business owner.

Terrell owns a contracting company that has been helping a lot of families rebuild. Not only is he helping families, he himself is also dealing with the flood.

Terrell's business was flooded Monday and took on several inches of water. He said his recently installed flooring had to be ripped out.

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"From Hurricane Laura to Hurricane Delta to, what was next, the ice storm. You start to get a handle on things and then everything hits the fan again," said Terrell.

It's a lot to handle as families brace for even more rain and hurricane season.

"Day by day, moment by moment," said Hebert.

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