NEWS RELEASE
JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA
June 6, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JEFFERSON PARISH CALLS FOR VOLUNTARY EVACUATION FOR TOWN OF JEAN LAFITTE, LOWER LAFITTE, CROWN POINT AND BARATARIA DUE TO TROPICAL STORM CRISTOBAL
JEAN LAFITTE, LA – Mayor of Jean Lafitte Tim Kerner, Jr. and Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng have issued a voluntary evacuation for the town of Jean Lafitte, Lower Lafitte, Crown Point and Barataria due to Tropical Storm Cristobal. The order goes into effect at 7 a.m. CST Saturday, June 6. Residents are advised to bring vehicles, boats and campers to higher ground as the storm is expected to bring high tides and heavy rainfall to the area.
“We want to make sure residents are safe as this storm approaches so we are taking all the necessary precautions to be fully prepared,” said Mayor Tim Kerner, Jr. “Working with Jefferson Parish and DOTD, the town of Jean Lafitte has installed high water advisory signs and guides to help drivers navigate roads in case of flooding, we have 32,000 sandbags prepared and we have 38 total pumps ready throughout Jean Lafitte, Lower Lafitte, Barataria and Crown Point. We have issued this voluntary evacuation as an extra precaution to encourage citizens to move to an area of safety before the storm approaches.”
According to Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng, “It is crucial to plan ahead and be prepared for Tropical Storm Cristobal, which is expected to bring heavy rain, winds, storm surge and flooding to our area, especially in the lower lining areas of the Parish outside of the levee protection system. We ask all residents of Jefferson Parish to prepare and stay weather aware.”
The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning as Cristobal makes its way across the Gulf of Mexico towards a late Sunday landfall on the Louisiana coastline. Tropical Storm Cristobal will cause Tropical storm force winds by late Saturday night. It is reported that heavy rainfall will occur in advance of and during the storm's passage, and is likely to cause significant flooding. For more information, visit www.hurricanes.gov.
For more information about Jefferson Parish, visit www.JeffParish.net. Residents can receive regular updates by following the Parish on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@JeffParishGov), or by texting JPALERT or JPNOTICIAS to 888-777.
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Jefferson Parish Public Information Office 1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Suite 1002 Jefferson, LA 70123 |
JPALERT – SIGN UP TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY ALERTS |
Gretchen Hirt Gendron, PIO Office: 504-736-6410 |
