Kenner Residents In Shock After Hurricane Francine Flooded Homes
Kenner city residents were left in disbelief, following the havoc caused by Hurricane Francine that led to countless houses being flooded. Amid the torrential rain and raging winds, citizens struggled to apprehend the magnitude of the scenario unfolding on Wednesday night.
Damage Assessment
Among the victims of this unexpected deluge was Sha Fisher, a resident of West Loyola Avenue in Kenner. Fisher described the event as unlike any storm she had previously experienced, leaving her street resembling a daunting lake. Her home was soon infiltrated by the rising water, leading to considerable damage to her hardwood floors and her bedroom submerged underwater. Fisher’s statement revealed her sense of feeling trapped, with her car succumbing to the increasing water levels.
Hurricane Francine gave rise to widespread destruction across Kenner, with reports suggesting that around a hundred houses were affected due to the overwhelming Jefferson Parish’s drainage system. On an average, 7 to 9 inches of rain fell over the east bank which surpassed the pumping capacity of the parish’s drainage system. In certain places, rainfall was recorded to be more than a foot.
Investigation into Technological Failure
It was noted that several of the parish’s 194 pumps experienced mechanical issues that further added to the challenges faced by the city’s drainage system. This failure resulted in criticism towards the authorities, with victims like Fisher pointing out to the inevitability of the damage had there been efficient pumps in place.
Mark Drewes, the public works director of the parish, announced that the events leading to this catastrophe will be looked into thoroughly. He reassured citizens that even if all the pumps were fully operational, the flooding might have been unavoidable due to the unprecedented scale of the downpour. However, he also emphasized the need to review how the existing system can be improved based on this incident.
Implications and Future Prevention
The hurricane also affected Jefferson Parish’s aging sewer system, causing groundwater to infiltrate the sewer system. Residents have been asked to limit water usage to prevent sewage backflow into houses. Francine’s characteristics were described as unique by Drewes, as it affected the entire east bank simultaneously, instead of the typical case of affecting one part of the bank before moving on to the other.
Significant efforts have been made to expand Jefferson Parish’s pumping capacity since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. However, Francine’s impact was far beyond the system’s design capacity, causing drainage canals to overflow, resulting in stranded fish on roads and yards and extensive flooding.
Horizontal flooding left households devastated, with residents rescuing their pets, salvaging their damaged properties, and helping rid the streets of debris, including marine life dislocated by the floods. The residents of University City, the worst affected neighborhood of Kenner, touted the scenario as a river flowing down their streets.
While the city is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, residents like Fisher hope to see improved measures towards preventing such disasters in the future. Fisher had been in the process of getting her house raised through Jefferson Parish’s home elevation grant. Although the process had been held up due to FEMA approvals, the devastating floods have emphasized the critical need for such measures, as Fisher noted, “It would’ve been right on time, obviously.”
