ST. LANDRY, AVOYELLES PARISHES — A Texas-based volunteer organization is on the ground in St. Landry and Avoyelles Parishes, helping homeowners recover from Tropical Storm Arthur.
The Minuteman Disaster Response team is assisting residents affected by the storm, which left nearly 700 homes damaged across the two parishes, according to Pete Thiel, the group's director of operations.
"Imagine getting 24 inches of water in your house... almost everything you have is destroyed. People are in shock," Thiel said.
Despite the storm occurring a couple weeks ago, Thiel says recovery is still in its early stages.
"The effects are going to be felt for months as people try to rebuild their houses," he said.
Part of the recovery work involves removing flood-damaged walls to prevent mold growth and related health problems.
"The water goes up to a certain level in the stud space— you know, above the floor level— and water gets trapped behind there. So we generally go through and cut, at least 1 ft. up from the water walls is cleared out so that there's not moisture inside a contained space," Thiel said.
The group is scheduled to remain in the area for two weeks. Residents in need of assistance can visit the CORE Center in Mansura.
