Lafayette, LA – U.S. Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., MD (R-Southwest Louisiana) today met with officials in St. Landry Parish to discuss the opening of the Morganza Spillway and expected flooding in the parish. In Krotz Springs and in Melville, he spoke with community leaders and emergency officials, and toured levees rebuilt in preparation of the floods.

"The most important thing we can do right now is protect human life. I ask everyone to listen to officials and heed all evacuation warnings," Boustany said. "I have been working with officials across the state to ensure lives are protected and residents are given as much information and advance warning as possible. Again, please take every precaution to protect you and your family from the flooding."

St. Landry Parish leaders have already called for mandatory evacuations. Residents in the Atchafalaya Basin south of U.S. 190, including the Three Mile Lake area, North Wilderness Road area and the east side of the river levee, have been told they must evacuate. This mandatory evacuation excludes residents living within the ring levee of Krotz Springs and Melville.

Last week, Boustany recommended the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designate South Louisiana a disaster area ahead of the floods. The Secretary declared farmers in the affected areas would be eligible to receive flood insurance payments for existing plans.

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