Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency on Monday in preparation for Tropical Storm Francine, which is expected to strengthen to a hurricane before hitting the Louisiana coast Wednesday afternoon. The declaration, which allows the state to access resources for emergency response efforts, is active through Sept. 18.
While the 7 a.m. forecast by the National Hurricane Center predicted Francine would move toward Acadiana, other local meteorologists are saying updated computer models show the storm edging more eastward.
Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is encouraging residents to be “insurance ready” as Francine approaches. He says to review the policy declarations page and review details about the deductibles in plans. Take photos of belongings, including name and serial number, before the storm. See the full release.
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Mayor Dustin Yates has declared a state of emergency for the city of St. George, WAFB-TV reports. In preparation, he says the city is deploying a range of resources to ensure “a swift and coordinated response,” including two rescue squads and four command units.
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Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said on Monday that she and other city-parish officials have been communicating with the National Weather Service as well as state and local officials in preparation for the storm. Officials have pre-positioned sand and sandbags at eight locations across the parish. See the full list of sandbag locations.
Several school systems across the Capital Region announced that schools will be closed through Thursday of this week. See the full list of closures from WBRZ-TV.
This story originally appeared in a Sept. 10 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.