Orleans News

As Terrebonne recovers from Francine, some residents fear about its future


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HOUMA — Restoration efforts continued Thursday in Terrebonne Parish, the place 1000’s remained with out electrical energy a day after Hurricane Francine made landfall there. Whereas the Class 2 storm introduced much less extreme property injury than latest storms, it left some residents with higher worries for the world’s future.

Amongst them is Terrebonne Parish Councilwoman Kim Chauvin, who spent a lot of the day in search of and clearing clogged storm drains.

“I’ve been actually out in my district clearing out drains,” Chauvin mentioned. “Authorities strikes at too gradual of a tempo for me … We received numerous leaves and sticks and the whole lot clogging drains.”

One of many few remaining shrimpers in Louisiana, Chauvin and her household function shrimp boats, a gas and ice dock, a shrimp processing plant and seafood store. Her residence and companies misplaced energy when the storm approached, and he or she was nonetheless with out electrical energy as of 8 p.m. Thursday. Entergy Louisiana reported lower than 22,000 of its prospects in Terrebonne Parish have been powerless as of seven a.m. Friday.

Chauvin was elected to the parish council final yr and is working with state officers to attempt to preserve Louisiana’s shrimp business afloat because it struggles to compete with low cost international catch from Asia and South America.

Her residence and companies sustained some injury, which she is going to probably must pay for out of pocket as a result of the price of insurance coverage has skyrocketed after latest disasters, together with Hurricane Ida in 2021.

To afford house owner’s insurance coverage, Chauvin mentioned, she had to decide on a coverage with a $50,000 deductible.

“It amazes me as a result of we nonetheless haven’t mitigated Ida’s damages,” she mentioned. “Ida price us lots and we’re nonetheless reeling from that.”

Bayou Dularge resident J.C. Allen echoed the same state of affairs as he stood in his entrance yard Thursday, taking a look at giant piles of mangled supplies that, lower than 24 hours earlier than, have been a part of his cell residence. Francine destroyed a second-story sunroom that he had simply added to his residence a number of years in the past whereas renovating damages from Hurricane Ida.

The 71-year-old retired postal provider and U.S. Marine Corps veteran mentioned his house owner’s insurance coverage firm lately refused to resume his 15-year-old coverage.

Allen, who does his personal building work, deliberate to start out rebuilding Friday however believes this can be his final time, he mentioned.

“I simply can’t do it anymore,” Allen mentioned. “We wish to be down right here the place the dwelling is sweet and the fishing is sweet, however the hurricanes and the insurance coverage firms are forcing us to maneuver away.”

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