Red Cross: Louisiana flooding to cost over $30M; worst since Hurricane Sandy

American Red Cross volunteer Paul Johnston, of Providence, is deploying to support relief efforts in Louisiana after the region was ravaged by heavy flooding.

Even though Baton Rouge, Louisiana is far, there are still ways to help here locally. Additional volunteers, relief supplies and emergency response vehicles are moving toward Louisiana now to bolster response efforts. He’ll be there for two to three weeks.

Thousands of people have been forced from their homes with little but the clothes on their backs.

The Red Cross says it is helping more than 4,500 people in dozens of shelters across the state. “So it is near hurricane-level types of responding that we are doing now, so the need is great”.

The North East Louisiana American Red Cross has already sent resources and some volunteers to the south. Rescuers evacuated more than 20,000 people since the flooding started Friday and at least six have died.

Like many, Smauldon watched on TV as the flood waters overtook thousands of homes across Louisiana.

“We have three from Northeast Wisconsin who are now on their way”, says Steve Hansen, Chapter Executive. Hundreds of local volunteers are also helping.

Red Cross officials estimate relief response will cost at least $30 million.

The Red Cross urgently needs the public to join in supporting Louisiana by making a financial donation today.

“We were just like we need to help them so let’s do something about it”, Vice President Madelyn Hall said.

If you want to help, you can make a monetary donation by texting LA Floods to 90999.