Gustav damages nearly 500 homes

By Matthew Penix
St. Tammany News
Published on Monday, September 15, 2008 10:17 AM CDT

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Hurricane Gustav’s ripping winds and rains damaged at least 487 St. Tammany Parish homes — more than twice the original estimate, and the count continues to rise, Parish President Kevin Davis said.

Since the Category 2 storm slapped St. Tammany Sept. 1, parish inspection teams canvassed the parish in search of damage homes. They find more and more every day, Davis said.

Davis, speaking to Parish Council members Thursday night at the council’s first meeting since Gustav, revealed the latest update.

In the days after Gustav’s rain and winds, parish inspectors found 226 damaged homes: 25 with flooding, 88 with wind damage, 96 with minor damage and 17 with major damage. Davis did not provide breakdowns Thursday.

At least one bridge — Hollyroad Bridge — also sustained damage, parish spokeswoman Suzanne Parsons Stymiest said. The extent of the damage was not revealed as of press time.

In other areas throughout Slidell, Mandeville, Lacombe and Pearl River, hurricane debris blockage underneath bridges clogged flow patterns and contributed to back ups that at times came within feet of cresting.

“But there were no issues that would be a threat to our citizens,” Stymiest said.

Parish officials started to pick such “green” debris like limbs, trees or bushes in southeast St. Tammany Friday. On Monday that program is expected to extend throughout the parish.

Construction debris such as Sheetrock and carpet will be picked up at an unannounced date later this year.

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Comments

No comments posted.

WRITE A COMMENT

Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. They review submitted comments periodically during the day for offensive or off-topic content before posting. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The St. Tammany News is not liable for messages from third parties.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
* Personal Information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.)

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in thesttammanynews.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the St. Tammany News. The St. Tammany News does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized St. Tammany News spokespersons.

Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.