Local flavor in Natchitoches

At Natchitoches, Southwest Louisiana residents filled the town to a population it normally only experiences during the city’s Christmas Lights Festival.

But many who came here to flee the storm wound up experiencing a more subdued version of the storm experience.

Hurricane Rita passed through town early Saturday morning, with tropical storm winds downing trees and power lines and leaving much of the city without power. Most of the power was back by Saturday evening, but many areas just outside of the city, including places where displaced Lake Charles residents found shelter, were still without power.

Businesses remained closed Saturday, but reopened Sunday.

At Wal-Mart, a Lake Charles man who sought shelter from the strom in DeRidder shopped for provisions.

“This is the closest place you can go to get groceries,’’ he said.

At Northwestern State about 1,500 evacuees, including many from Lake Charles, sought shelter and some remained Sunday evening. A national guardsman stationed at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans stood in the arena with an AK-47 strapped over his shoulder.

“We have nothing to go back to,’’ said the guard, who lives in Kenner. “Jackson Barracks is under 15 feet of water.”

Gary Laney
American Press