Tropical Storm Barry

July 15, 2019–Though the Gulf Coast was spared catastrophic hurricane damage, Tropical Storm Barry continues to dump rain on Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas today–triggering flooding and prompting more evacuations. In many areas, residents are without power and roads and bridges are closed. Local officials in impacted communities are urging those in flooded areas to take caution as floodwaters contaminated with sewage and an influx of snakes and other swamp critters remain a threat.

 
Operation USA is in contact with partners on the ground in New Orleans and the surrounding area, and will continue to assess opportunities to deliver aid. Your donations make this work possible.

 

 

July 13, 2019–After briefly being labeled a hurricane, Barry was downgraded back to a tropical storm as it made landfall in Louisiana early Saturday morning. Local officials along the Gulf Coast at this time are most concerned about the heavy rain the storm will continue to dump in the area as it tracks inland. Some communities are under mandatory evacuation, while elsewhere residents are being urged to shelter in place. Though some flood damage is expected, we are hopeful that Barry will not cause catastrophic devastation in New Orleans or elsewhere. OpUSA will continue to monitor the situation and prepare to deliver aid if and when opportunities allow.

 

 

July 11, 2019–This week, the Gulf Coast is bracing for Tropical Storm Barry–a slow moving storm system expected to make landfall in Louisiana on Saturday. The storm has already dumped a reported eight inches of rain on parts of New Orleans, triggering flash flooding in several areas and prompting evacuations along the coast as residents prepare for expected high winds, heavy rains and flooding. The National Hurricane Center is advising all residents of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas to pay close attention to the developing storm and take all necessary precautions to prepare for landfall as its path may change moving into the weekend.

 

Many in New Orleans and the surrounding area are familiar with the devastation major storms can bring, having witnessed the destruction of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005–from which recovery continues. Operation USA has remained active in Louisiana since those storms, and today is poised to deliver both financial and in-kind aid to partner groups on the ground helping with evacuations and/or providing community-services in areas where the storm may cause damage. We will continue to monitor the storm, assess impact and work with partners to deliver aid as expediently as possible once damage is known. Your donations make this work possible.

 

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Further updates will be forthcoming as Tropical Storm Barry develops. Click here to read the latest news.

 

Learn more about Operation USA’s previous work in Louisiana here.