President Joe Biden approves disaster declaration for Louisiana after severe weather

President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for Louisiana Wednesday following torrential rain and flooding that swept through the state in mid-May.

The declaration unlocks federal aid to help the region recover from the severe weather that began May 17 and continued for several days. Five people died and close to 3,000 homes were damaged in the downpour that caused flash flooding in many areas across South Louisiana.

Biden's approval comes after Gov. John Bel Edwards and U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, wrote separate letters to the president last week requesting aid.

Edwards and Graves each noted in their letters that areas such as Calcasieu and Baton Rouge parishes have endured severe weather and catastrophic flooding in recent months and years — disasters that were only compounded by the recent storm.

Read more: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_986265ee-c3f0-11eb-af2d-bfb0e3ecdbd1.html