Iberia Parish Officials: Residents should be ready
Published 6:35 pm Sunday, August 26, 2012
- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal provides an update on the state's preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac on Sunday at the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. In background, left, is Robert Barham, secretary of state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, right. Iberia, so far, has not been listed in the storm's path, but it is on the western edge of the cone of error.
Iberia Parish narrowly missed being included in a hurricane warning, as Tropical Storm Isaac barrels toward the Gulf States, according to a prepared statement released by the National Weather Service at 4 p.m.
‘This storm has been very difficult to forecast. … and people need to be preparing as if we are going to be hit by a category 1 or category 2 hurricane as soon as Tuesday night or Wednesday’ – Prescott Marshall, Iberia director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness/911
The statement said a hurricane watch has been upgraded to a hurricane warning from Morgan City east to Destin, Fla. The storm is traveling west by northwest at 16 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. Its center was passing Key West at 4 p.m.
Still that leaves Iberia Parish in limbo, said Prescott Marshall, director of Iberia Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness/911.
Marshall said the key for Iberia Parish residents is to be ready.
“This storm has been very difficult to forecast. … and people need to be preparing as if we are going to be hit by a category 1 or category 2 hurricane as soon as Tuesday night or Wednesday,” he said.
He said the track of the storm could continue to shift west, putting it on a crash course with the Teche Area.
Marshall said he hoped to have more information by this afternoon, but said the parish is still in a holding pattern. He said there’s a good chance the parish could be put under a hurricane watch or warning.
Marshall said top government officials in the parish met twice today. He said the officials decided it was too soon to declare a state of emergency or call for evacuations.
There is a 10 a.m. conference call with the NWS and the Louisiana’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness that should be telling. After that meeting, parish officials should decide the threat level the storm poses to the area and what regions should be evacuated and whether a state of emergency should be declared. Marshall said there’s a “good chance” a state of emergency will be declared.
He also noted storms of this magnitude pose flooding risks from rain and tidal surges.
“We’re very concerned,” Marshall said.
At about 3:30 p.m. Gov. Bobby Jindal held a news conference declaring states of emergency for Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Charles parishes.
The next complete weather advisory from the NWS is schedule for 10 p.m.
