NEW IBERIA — Acadiana is continuing to see the effects of Tropical Storm Beta.
Coastal parishes, like Iberia Parish, are seeing water while up against winds from the South.
Those who live and work near the intersection of East Admiral Doyle Drive and Julia Street say flooding has been a problem for at least two decades but believe it's gotten worse in recent years.
"So, any little rain we get, whether it be an inch or two inches, we normally flood over here in this part of town, and it's just an ongoing thing," explained someone who works nearby.
Those familiar with the area believe the drain at the intersection is the culprit.
They say they called DOTD, and a crew came out earlier this year to assess the drain but couldn't find a problem.
"But, obviously, something is stopped up down stream because a lot of areas would be clear, but here, it always floods," the person said. "It's just a matter of time before someone gets hurt or something bad happens, whether that be property damage or something else."
When vehicles speed down E Admiral Doyle, the water goes flying into the yards.
"People are walking down the sidewalks, and it's just awful to see an 18-wheeler pass through and everybody gets drenched, carrying packages," the person said. "A lot of people walk back and forth in this area."
More rainy days are bound to come, but some are remaining hopeful the area gets the help it needs.
"You know what's good? The fact that you guys are here," the local said. "So, hopefully, maybe they may notice this. They may see it, and they may say, 'Hey, you know what? Let's move it up on our list of things that we need to do.'"
East Admiral Doyle is a state highway, so we reached out to DOTD.
A spokeswoman for the department says DOTD was out near the intersection about a month ago to clean out the drain, but they will send a crew out again sometime soon.
