Keeping An Eye On Rita--an Evening Look

Tropical Storm Rita was centered tonight near Shreveport and moving north at 11 mph. Just a matter of time until she will be downgraded to a depression.

Sustained winds down to 40 mph.

24 HOUR RAINFALL
5.47 inches in Shreveport
3.34 in Monroe
4.80 in Lafayette
7.12 in Baton Rouge
1.30 at New Orleans International Airport

MORE REPORTS FROM SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

CAMERON PARISH
.....5 feet of water and debris over Highway 27 near Gibbstown Bridge

CALCASIEU PARISH
.....Significant flooding along the Lake Charles lakefront.
.....4-6 feet of water in the Lake Charles Civic Center
.....6-foot storm surge at Contraband Bayou with water into second floor of the inn

ST. MARY PARISH
.....Deep water near Burns Point
.....Cypremort Point is flooded
.....Flooding also in Morgan City area

IBERIA PARISH
.....Water 4 to 5 feet deep over the parish south of Highway 14 and south of U.S. 90
.....Storm surge in excess of 10 feet with rooftop rescues underway

Inland flooding will become a real problem with Rita with extremely heavy rainfall expected over West Louisiana, East and NE Texas and Southern Arkansas.