Recovery efforts begin

While the worst of the wind and rain from Hurricane Gustav might be over, recovery efforts in Iberia Parish are just begining.

Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness Jim Anderson said at about 6 p.m. on Tuesday that his office hopes to make a decision midday Wednesday on when to notify parish residents that it is safe to return to Iberia. This includes evacuees who will be brought back and residents who left on their own.

The 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew is still in effect for the entire parish. Anderson said that 75 percent of the parish is estimated still to be without power.

"The good news is that the rain seems to be over for a while," Anderson said. "The bad news is that high tide is coming and that may cause more flooding near the port area."

Anderson confirmed reports of significant street flooding in the Armenco Canal area, near the intersection of Shot and Anderson Streets but had no specific knowledge of other streets which were flooded. He also said there was reported road flooded near the Port of Iberia and in the Weeks Island area.

Water levels in canals are high at the port and in Delcambre, Anderson said, but there have been no reports of homes taking on water as of 6 p.m. Tuesday.