Severe weather brings more flooding, power outages to ArkLaTex

SHREVEPORT, La. — Another round of severe storms slammed the ArkLaTex late Tuesday night, compounding problems across the region with widespread flooding, downed trees, and power outages.

One of the hardest hit areas was Claiborne Parish. Two homes were destroyed by lightning strikes near Lake Claiborne. The local Brookshire’s parking lot was also flooded.

Power has been restored to the Claiborne Parish Courthouse, which was hit by a lightning strike Tuesday night. 

Eric Shively says he was at this lake on Wednesday morning, helping people secure their boats.

"This morning at the the boat ramp here. I pulled in at 7 a.m. and it was an inch over the the deck. And now it's 18in above. So it's come up 18in in four hours.  the biggest thing we're, we're looking at is everybody's, having to go out and check their boat houses right now. We get a lot of folks that don't live here. They have camps and they got boats that are hanging in their slings, and they're approaching the the point where they can just float out," said Shively, owner of CatRoy Services LLC.

The National Weather Service received multiple reports of flooded streets and water over roadways as heavy rainfall quickly overwhelmed local drainage systems. Public safety officials are urging drivers to turn around when encountering water on the road and to avoid driving through flooded areas.

Most areas will remain under a flood watch until early afternoon with rivers, lakes, and streams rising. Over the past few days, some areas have seen as much as a foot of rain.

In addition to the high water, strong winds associated with the storm front knocked down trees and power lines across several parishes and counties. The structural damage has left thousands of area residents without electricity during the morning commute.

Utility crews are working to restore power, and road crews are actively clearing debris from major thoroughfares. Forecasters warn that soil remains saturated from consecutive days of rainfall, making trees more susceptible to falling even in weaker wind conditions.

RELATED CONTENT - Click here for the very latest KTBS MEGA 3 Storm Team forecast

STAY CONNECTED

It's easy to be weather-wise. Keep up with all of the very latest weather developments with the KTBS MEGA 3 Storm Team. Patrick Dennis, Brian Fowler, Joe Haynes, and Skip Kordas are always on stand-by to help you ride out the storm and keep you and your family safe. You'll also want to arm yourself with the KTBS MEGA 3 Storm Team app available for Apple and Android devices. When necessary, look for LIVE coverage on all your KTBS+ connected devices including KTBS 3.2 and KTBS.com.

Also, use #ktbswx on social media to report damage, flooding, or post images and video. Please remember, SAFETY FIRST.