BATON ROUGE, La. – In anticipation of potential impact to Louisiana, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco has declared a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Humberto continues its progress onto the Texas/Louisiana coastline.

“We have been monitoring Tropical Storm Humberto closely and expect significant rainfall in Southwest Louisiana that could lead to flooding and other emergency needs,” Governor Blanco said.  “The state stands ready to assist our parish leaders in keeping our citizens safe. I also want our people to be prepared, as this storm serves as another reminder of how quickly storms can form.  Especially now, in the height of hurricane season, we must all be personally ready to act.”

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) activated its Crisis Action Team (CAT) to monitor the storm and provide updates to parish, state and federal partners as the storm develops. GOHSEP has also activated personnel from critical state agencies working within the Emergency Operations Center. Those state agencies include Louisiana State Police, the Louisiana National Guard, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, and the Louisiana Department of Social Services.

“We are monitoring Tropical Storm Humberto and will continue to hold conference calls with our State and Parish partners to assess the situation,” said GOHSEP Director Jeff Smith.  “I would like to remind our citizens to stay in touch with their local officials for updates as this tropical storm moves toward the Louisiana coast.”  

Click here to read the Governor's proclamation