NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Natchitoches is bracing for impacts from Huricane Delta, which is expected to make landfall early Friday evening as a Category 2 storm in Southwest Louisiana.
It could bring heavy rain and tropical-storm-force wind gusts that could exceed 50 miles per hour over the southeastern edge of the ArkLaTex.
On Thursday afternoon, people in Natchitoches started evacuating early – just in case.
“I’m following my parents. We’re going because it was rough last time. It was really scary. I mean, our whole place was just *ugh* craziness,” said Amanda White.
Gas stations were packed as residents got ready to head out of town, but others headed to the Natchitoches City Public Works Office to pick up sandbags.
David Stevenson with Natchitoches City Public Works said they have about seven thousand sandbags ready to give away.
“Ever since Laura came through, we’ve been doing them sandbags one day out the week, try to get ahead. We’ve always did them to stay ahead, but we’ve been preparing for it.”
Each bag weighs about 20 to 25 pounds, but if you stack them up it can be used to stop the water from flooding your house.
“We only give them ten and sometimes they’ll come and get it for two residences. You know, maybe for their family member we’ll give them twenty.”
The public works department says they’re giving away ten bags per vehicle on Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Southwest Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) said residents should plan for the power to be out for several days. They have about 1,100 workers ready to go. If you have any emergency equipment like a ventilator, at home, you should plan to have a back-up source of electricity to power it.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said you should take your pets with you if you’re traveling out of town and have an emergency animal kit on hand.
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