ST. MARTIN PARISH — With severe weather on the horizon for Acadiana, some residents are learning about the approaching storm just as they prepare for their day. “Everybody is mostly to themselves around here, so if you don’t get an update you just see the weather coming,” longtime resident Sonya Savoy said.
Savoy, who has lived in St. Martinville for 15 years, explained that she was heading out to run errands when she learned of the storm.
“I was going to the store and I was gonna cook and do some maintenance on my vehicle so now that changes everything,” she said. “I’m gonna probably pack up instead of going, I’m gonna pack up and go to Breaux Bridge.”
She plans to stay with her daughter there and says she feels safer riding out the storm with family. For those without that option, sand and bags were made available to residents outside St. Martinville’s Public Works Department.
“I’m worried, I probably will have to get some sandbags,”Glen Herbert, a Durand subdivision resident shared.
He previously spoke about flooding in his neighborhood after a flash flood several months ago. With another storm on the horizon, Herbert isn’t hopeful.
“Flooding … trust me, you can mark that down in your books,” Herbert said. “It’s gonna be a lake over there and ain’t nothing we can do about it.”
Having experienced multiple storms over the years, Herbert said he often tries to warn newer residents about what to expect.
“I’m taking time out of my day to go and try and tell ya what it is,” he said.
Savoy said that while her home hasn’t flooded during her time in St. Martinville, she appreciates that resources are being made available to others.
“My house is on blocks so the water doesn't come in,” she said. “But I do know that they do have people that get them because their house is flat on the ground so water doesn't get in and they need to keep on doing what they are doing.”
Officials are encouraging residents to stay weather-aware and keep ditches clear to help reduce the risk of flooding.
