From staff reports

The Orange Leader

 

Jay Trahan, assistant city manager, said officials are beginning to see some signs of outflow of floodwaters.

“We’re getting some drainage throughout the city from areas north of the interstate as well as south of the interstate,” Trahan said Friday morning.

“That’s encouraging to us because it gives us an opportunity to get into those areas we haven’t been able to get into.”

While the city has not issues a mandatory evacuation order, Trahan said those who can leave have been encouraged to do so.

“We have been advising residents on the phone, if you can get out, particularly if you live in low lying areas, to do it. But the city of Orange has not called for a mandatory evacuation throughout the event,” he said.

Most of Orange was still without power on Friday afternoon, though power had been restored to several “hot spots” in the city, Trahan said.

Emergency operations need basic supplies, like fuel to power emergency response vehicles and generators and bottle water, he said.

“At this point, the advisement we are giving anyone who wants to donate is to contact their local Red Cross and if they would like to designate the city of Orange, to do that,” Trahan said. “At this point, the main thing we need is for residents to limit traffic to make certain roads stay accessible for emergency responders…When people are clogging up the streets, it’s much more difficult to get to places emergency personnel need to get to. We ask that you bear with us and be patient. We’ll get through this.”