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Man Found Dead inside a Vehicle among Abandoned Cars near a Mall Flooding in Louisiana

Olowokandi Fiyin
May 19, 2021
02:30 P.M.

A Baton Rouge man was certified dead after authorities found him immobile in a pile of abandoned cars that were wedged in the underpass overnight during a flood.

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Authorities have discovered the body of a man who was said to have been found dead in a vehicle where some abandoned vehicles were logged following the Louisiana flood.

The cars were along Bluebonnet Boulevard near the Louisiana Mall. The late person has since been identified as Justin Blaine Thomas of Plaquemine. He was 33-years-old.

Abandoned Volkswagen Scirocco GT II car wreckage on the public parking lot is seen on 27 August 2020 | Photo: Getty Images

Abandoned Volkswagen Scirocco GT II car wreckage on the public parking lot is seen on 27 August 2020 | Photo: Getty Images

Thomas’s death is the second recorded in connection to the Monday night flood in Louisiana. Another man passed away in Port Allen after his vehicle skidded off the road into a canal in LA 415.

The Bluebonnet Boulevard’s underpass was one of the several places affected by the flood. Since the night of the water disaster, 1-10 West has been closed due to the water on the roadway.

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The victim has been identified as Alvarado Morentes Hermelindo, and he was said to be in the vehicle with two other people when it crashed into the canal. Two of the vehicle’s occupants earlier escaped while Hermelindo was still caught up in the flood.

According to John Bel Edward, the governor of Louisiana, more rain is expected.

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However, one of them went back to save him. At this point, everything became bleak when the rescuer went missing, and Hermelindo could not be saved. The third person who made it out suffered minor injuries.

The National Weather Service had relayed that at least 30 million people are threatened by the flooding experienced in the south-central USA. Places like Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas have been bearing the brunt since Monday.

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Louisiana was significantly affected on Monday night as the weather service recorded 12 to 15 inches of rain through 12 hours. Relief materials are said to be expected during the week.

According to John Bel Edward, the governor of Louisiana, more rain is expected, although the ground was already saturated. He added that hope is that there wouldn’t be more flooding.

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In Southeastern Texas and Southwestern Louisiana, there were dangerous flash floods with rainfall totaled between 7 to 14 inches. Flood warnings were also issued to some places.

Locations like Western Jefferson County, Eastern Calcasieu Parish, the City of Lake Charles, and East Baton Rouge Parish all received the warnings. The NWS described the situation as “particularly dangerous.”

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