In August, the state of Louisiana suffered from a natural disaster. Over 31 inches of rainfall flooded the streets of Louisiana in a few hours. This water managed to go into places where there were not any flood warnings, so the residents there had a short time to gather precious belongings. In those few hours, homes were destroyed and lives were lost.

   There is a distinct lack of awareness from most of the U.S., especially considering how brutal and life-changing the flood was for the residents of Louisiana.

   Freshman Isabella Hursary shared how she first heard of the flood.

   “I first heard that there was a big flood because I follow some people from Louisiana on Instagram and snapchat, but I haven’t seen as much  social media for the flood as I would expect,” said Hursary.

   Louisiana is desperate for volunteers to aid in disaster relief. Over 30,000 people were saved, but there have been 13 casualties. While the effects of this flood are catastrophic, there has been very little social media coverage, and many people do not know much about what is the biggest flood since Hurricane Sandy.  

   People are not the only casualties from this flood.

   Biology teacher Melissa Witte shares and expands on the affected wildlife.

   “I would say that, just like people, terrestrial wildlife such as deer or rabbits could be flooded out of their homes and displaced, if they don’t drown outright. Species such as birds might be able to escape the situation more easily, but of course, nestlings that have not fledged yet would also perish if they were overcome by water,” said Witte.

   During this flood, at least 1,400 pets and animals lives were saved. About another 1000 animals lost their lives due to abandonment. One man chained up several dogs on his lawn and left them there to die. Volunteers have tried their best to rescue any animals still hanging on and give them some sort of shelter. Any animals left were found either on roofs or hiding in fear, but most animals drowned because they could not find an escape route. Witte proposed ways to help Louisiana recover from the disaster.

   “People can help wildlife by delivering any injured animals they find to a licensed wildlife rehab facility or calling the local humane society.  If there is a way to drain flooded areas, this would be beneficial.  Also, putting up nest boxes for birds would provide a place for cavity nesting birds to re-nest if their original nest was lost,” said Witte.

   After the flooding went down, 100,000 houses were ruined beyond repair. The ten-day disaster caused millions of dollars to flood into relief programs. As many as 70% of Louisiana residents did not have flood insurance. With a home in ruins, many people may be forced to move to a new city or state, thus the need for donations and volunteers. Louisiana is on the road to recovery and the entire country will give support.