Residents in the Sligo Rd. area and south have been asked to voluntarily evacuate their homes as waters in streams and bayous continue to rise.
Robo calls are going out to those who live in the Mayflower Rd. and Cane Bend area requesting evacuation after forecasts of high water within the next 24 hours that may make access to some homes impossible. Waters are also expected to continue going up south of those areas.
Livestock owners who have not already done so are urged to be prepared to move their animals to higher ground. Lower holding areas and grazing lands have begun to take on water.
Up to five inches of rain early Thursday has added to amounts flowing southward through Red Chute Bayou and Flat River. The wild card in the predictions is the amount of rain that could come through the region late Friday into Saturday as another weather front moves through.
Following Thursday’s storms, 15 homes in Haughton were flooded with reports showing 22 inches of water in one residence. One family had to be rescued from their home on Cannon Rd. by emergency teams from the Sheriff’s office and Haughton Fire Dept.
Individuals wanting to meet the threat of rising waters with sandbags may pick up what they need at several locations including the Police Jury highway department at 410 Mayfield in Benton (965-3752) and other locations.
Sandbag containers are located in South Bossier Fire District #2, 1325 Robinson Rd. in Elm Grove (987-2555); Haughton Fire District #1, 4494 Hwy 80, Haughton (949-9440); Town of Plain Dealing, 205 W. Palmetto in Plain Dealing; and the Town of Haughton, 120 W. McKinley Ave., Haughton (949-9401).
Additional sandbag sites are being established at the Dist. 2 fire station on Sligo Rd. (near Olde Oakes) and at Elm Grove Elementary School. These sites will remain available as needed. Bossier Parish Police Jury crews will be working overnight throughout the weekend to continue replenishing supplies and meeting emergency needs.
A Bossier Sheriff’s Office emergency staging area is being prepared at the Sligo Rd. fire station to be available if needed.
To date, Bossier Parish has fewer than 900 customers without power but homes should have power restored by Saturday evening, according to SWEPCO officials. The company is closely monitoring flooding and neighborhoods or businesses where water is rising.
Officials said the company may have to de-energize power for safety reasons. SWEPCO teams are keeping a close eye on trouble areas from the flood years of 2015 and 2016. One concern is continued rain in the area and high winds that may topple trees onto power lines.
