Louisiana Flooding: State Of Emergency Declared In Some Areas

Record rainfall flooded parts of southern Louisiana, prompting a state of emergency as rescuers used tractors, conventional boats and airboats to reach hundreds of people trapped in homes and cars.

The National Weather Service said heavy rainfall, between 12-18 inches, drenched the region, with 20 inches in some areas causing flash flooding. Flood waters have reached 5.5 feet over the flood stage, which is 12 inches over the record set in May 2004, according to CNN.

A state of emergency was declared in four south Louisiana parishes. No deaths or injuries have been reported and the sheriff's office urged people to evacuate the hard hit Carencro area, where 15 inches of rain fell within five hours and affected hundreds, CNN reports. The waters rose as high as eight feet on some roads, news reports said.

We're still conducting rescues, Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Kip Judice told CNN Monday evening. We've done over 150 rescues throughout the day today.

A group of middle school children trapped on a bus had to be rescued after it became stuck on a road covered by more than four feet of water.

The flood warning continues for some rivers in Louisiana, including the Atchafalaya River at Morgan City in rural St. Mary Parish; residents have been advised not to drive through the area.

The National Weather Service said more rainfall is anticipated in the next 12 hours. It said the current water level is at 3.3 feet and minor flooding is forecast for the remainder of the day.