State of emergency declared for flood-ravaged Louisiana

Rescue crews in southwest Louisiana plucked 20,000 people from rising floodwaters over the weekend as an unprecedented deluge led to widespread evacuations. Officials said the rising water filled areas that had never flooded before. More than 10,000 people spent Sunday night in area shelters. Although the rain had mostly subsided by this morning, state officials warned the flooding would not peak until swollen rivers emptied into the Gulf of Mexico. Just east of Baton Rouge, the Comite River stood at 34.2 feet—14 feet over flood stage. The Amite River rose to 46.2 feet over the weekend—17 feet over flood stage. The federal government has declared a major disaster in the area. Six people have died so far in the flooding.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.