Rainfall in New Orleans Overwhelmed City’s Pump Stations

Officials in New Orleans, La. say heavy rainfall over the weekend has now overwhelmed the city’s pump stations, contributing to flooding in some areas.

NOLA.com reported city officials said Sunday that some neighborhoods saw between 8 and 10 inches of rain over a few hours Saturday. That was too much for the Sewerage & Water Board’s 24 pump stations to cope with even though all were operating.

Deputy Mayor Ryan Berni told reporters the city has no immediate plans to request an emergency declaration from the state, but that could change as the city collects more information on flood damage.

City homeland security director Aaron Miller says that with more heavy rain predicted for Monday afternoon, the city’s pumping capacity could be overwhelmed again.