US: Emergency declared in N. Orleans as pump system is compromised

WASHINGTON - 11 August 2017: Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) declared a state of emergency in New Orleans on Thursday after a power shortage threatened to cripple the city’s drainage pumps, the second time in less than a week that critical flood defenses have been strained during hurricane season.

With residents now fearing even routine summer thunderstorms, officials closed city schools for the rest of the week and urged motorists to be mindful of where they park their vehicles when it rains, The Washington Post reported.

New Orleans is as much as seven feet below sea level, and a network of drainage canals and pumps funnel storm water out of the city.

“If we get the heavier-than-expected rainfall, time will be of the essence,” Edwards said. “This is a serious situation, but it’s not something to be panicked about.”