A major New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board (SWBNO) pump lost power early Sunday morning (May 12), as heavy rains drenched the city.
According to a press release, the pump located at Drainage Pumping Station (DPS) 7 near City Park temporarily lost its Entergy-supplied power around 5 a.m. An SWBNO team activated a standup generator on site, but the pump remained inactive until around 6 a.m.
https://twitter.com/MissEmZee/status/1127539245428695040
At the same time, more than two inches of rain fell across the city, outpacing the capacity of the city’s drainage system. The highest rainfall amount recorded was over three inches between 5:15 a.m. and 6:15 a.m. at DPS 5 in the lower 9th Ward.
Esplanade is flooded on the French Quarter side and this SUV is flying down the street pushing water into houses. pic.twitter.com/XiiHnIZ8xO
— NOLA.Fille (@FilleNola) May 12, 2019
The city received as much as five inches between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. According to SWBNO, the city had 115 out of 120 pumps available for use throughout the storm, but notes that it is impossible for all drainage pumps to operate at the same time. Doing so would overflow downstream canals.
https://twitter.com/AllisonAlbertPK/status/1127551453466374145
According to the New Orleans Police Department, Operation Underpass has been activated, and resources have been sent to the following locations to erect barricades as necessary:
- N Carrollton Ave/I-10
- City Park Ave/I-10
- Canal Blvd/Pontalba St
- Marconi Dr/I-610
- Paris Ave/I-610
- Gentilly Blvd/I-610
- Broad St/Florida Ave
- Franklin Ave/I-10
- Gentilly Blvd/Chef Menteur Hwy
- Press Dr/Leon C Simon Dr
- Downman Rd/Lake Shore Dr
- General De Gaulle Dr/Woodland Dr
- General De Gaulle Dr/Westbank Expy
Mayor LaToya Cantrell has also urged all residents to stay off the streets until the street flooding has receded.
— Jennifer Brady (@BradyNola) May 12, 2019
New Orleans remains under a flash flood warning until 10:45 a.m. CDT.
