Hampden & Camden Residents Joining Red Cross Relief Efforts in Louisiana

More than 1,500 Red Crossers from all 50 states as well as hundreds of local volunteers are part of the relief effort.

The Heart of Texas branch of the American Red Cross is asking for help to deliver resources to the victims of the deadly flooding in Louisiana.

“What’s going on in Louisiana is major devastation, the likes of which we have not seen since Hurricane Sandy”, said Michael Masto, Regional Disaster Officer for the Colorado-Wyoming chapter. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed by the flooding, leaving more than 100,000 residents displaced.

The Red Cross estimates flooding in Louisiana, which has killed at least 13 people, will cost more than $30 million – calling it the worst natural disaster in the country since Hurricane Sandy. Volunteers have been working to make sure those people have the food and supplies they need, as the water starts to recede.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson visited the state on Thursday following a visit earlier in the week by Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate. About 950 FEMA workers are in Louisiana, with about 750 on the way, the Times-Picayune reported.

Twenty state parishes have been declared disaster areas by the Obama administration. The Red Cross is closely monitoring the situation, and will be ready to mount an additional response if necessary.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said that at least 40,000 homes have had some damage, although it is not immediately clear how many were made uninhabitable.

“We’ve seen houses where you wouldn’t even think houses could be”, she says of the commute.

People interested in making direct donations toward Louisiana flood relief can text the word LAFLOODS to 90999 to make a donation of $10.

Pence arrived in Baton Rouge ahead of Trump Friday, where he met with Louisiana’s most senior Republican officials.