As Tropical Storm Barry slowly blows ashore in Vermillion Parish some 150 miles west of New Orleans, state officials are bracing for the continuous heavy rain expected from the slow-moving storm.
Governor John Bel Edwards said that rains is expected to cause problems far from the storm's landfall zone.
"We're keeping a close on rivers across south Louisiana," said Edwards, "with particular eyes upon the Comite and Amite rivers here in the Capital region, based upon a regional experience that we had in 2016."
Edwards said the Comite river will crest at levels similar to the 2016 flood, while the Amite river will crest slightly below that level.
Edwards said there was some good news regarding other rivers, particularly the Mississippi.
"The Carrollton gauge of the Mississippi River in New Orleans is now expected to crest at 17.1 feet," said Edwards. "As you know as of yesterday we were expecting that crest to be 19 feet."
So far, levees have held up to Barry's storm surge, although some areas in Plaquemines and Terrebonne parishes have experienced overtopping.
"There has not been a single levee in coastal Louisiana or across south Louisiana that has failed or been breached," said Chip Kline of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. "No Mississippi river levee in Plaquemines Parish has been overtopped at this time."
While about a dozen people had to be rescued from a low-lying area of Terrebonne Parish, the Louisiana National Guard says for the most part, they are standing at the ready with 3,000 Guardsmen on duty.