Hurricane Francine leaves neighborhood flooded trapping woman inside home
The water was too high for KATC's camera crew to reach Vinging to interview her. We could only speak with her about her home using cell phones.
By Paris Flannigan
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PATTERSON, Louisiana (KATC) — Hurricane Francine caused widespread damage in South Louisiana, especially in St. Mary Parish, with flooding, debris, and power outages. A Patterson neighborhood may have gotten the worst of it.
A video sent in from ABC News captured the neighborhood, which now resembles an island. Some people have more than a foot of water inside their homes, like Tammy Vining, who is trapped and can’t escape.
The water was too high for KATC’s camera crew to reach Vinging to interview her. We could only speak with her about her home using cell phones.
“This is disastrous,” said Tammy Vining, the homeowner.
However, from Louisiana, Vining is no stranger to Hurricanes.
“I have been through hurricanes before. I slept through them and partied through them, well, at least in my younger days,” said Vining.
But nothing could prepare her for something quite like this.
“The flooding is the worst part,” said Vining.
“The road I live on, I cannot drive on right now,” said Mike Aucoin.
Vining is not alone; Michael Aucoin also lives in this neighborhood.
“I am praying for my neighbors; they lost much of their stuff,’ said Aucoin.
Although his home was spared from the high waters and trees, Aucoin feels for his neighbors, one of whom had a tree collapse on his home. Aucoin didn’t hesitate to make his home available to his neighbors and family.
“For a category two, this was rough,” said Aucoin.
“This is just heartbreaking,” said Vining.
Heartbreaking, of course, but Aucoin says the town of Patterson sticks together.
“We are a community that checks on each other to make sure everyone will be ok,” said Aucoin.
Vining says she is not leaving her home. Instead, she plans to restore the home once the water goes down but there is no telling how long that will be.
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