About 1000 homes and business flooded in coastal Cameron Parish as the storm churned toward expected landfall in Texas, said emergency preparedness director Clifton Hebert. He added the number was likely to rise. Flooded homes were reported in other parishes, though numbers were sketchy at nightfall.
"It's going to be devastating for people," Hebert said. "We don't have the wind that Rita brought, but we have at least the same storm surge, if not a little more."
In nearby Terrebone Parish, crews worked to plug at least four breaches. An estimate of flooded homes wasn't immediately available, but officials said that areas in which Rita inundated 10,000 homes in 2005 were vulnerable again.
"It's terrible," said Windell Curole, levee manager for Terrebonne Parish. "The water is coming in almost unimpeded right now."
About 130 people remained in the fishing community on the barrier island of Grand Isle after storm surge cut off the only road to the mainland, said Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Jindal said search and rescue teams would head to the island as soon as wind abated and water receded. He told residents they could break into a state wildlife and fisheries lab that was deemed a safe structure. He called it "the most unusual piece of advice I might give."
More than 100,000 customers were without electricity Friday night, a number that also included some customers who lost power in Gustav, the Louisiana Public Service Commission said.
