More than 20,000 evacuated in Louisiana flooding, and half are staying in shelters

In southern Louisiana, at least 20,000 people have been evacuated amid what Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) calls "unprecedented" and "historic" flooding that followed up to 24 inches of rain in 48 hours. That evacuation number includes Edwards, whose family had to leave the governor's mansion after flooding in the basement knocked out electricity. More than 10,000 people are in shelters, including the Baton Rouge River Center, and the federal government has declared the region a major disaster area. The death toll from the floods stands at five.

Earlier Sunday, Louisiana authorities successfully airlifted some 1,500 motorists from an isolated section of I-12, and more than 1,000 National Guard troops are helping evacuate people in boats, helicopters, and high-water vehicles. You can see some of the evacuations, as well as officials discussing the flooding, in the Associated Press report below.

And below, you can witness one particularly dramatic escape, captured by WAFB, where rescuer David Phung jumped in the water and grabbed a woman out of her ragtop convertible right as it sinks, then dove under to retrieve her dog:

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You may notice a common concern about pets — the Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries is in charge of sheltering dogs, cats, and other domestic animals until they can be reunited with their owners.