NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana: Record flooding along the Mississippi River threatens to inundate at least two Louisiana refineries and hundreds of oil and gas wells, officials warned Tuesday. “This is a very serious flood,” Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal told reporters. “We haven't seen this kind of flooding since 1927.” Army engineers plan to open a major spillway by Saturday in order to divert water away from New Orleans and ease pressure on the Mississippi as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico. Floodwaters as deep as 20 feet will inundate areas west of the river which house about 24,000 people and 13,000 structures. Jindal urged residents to begin evacuations now. The state's fuel team has identified two refineries, over 1,750 oil and gas wells and 135 operators in the affected areas. “Safety is a top concern on these structures as the Spillway is opened,” Jindal's office said in a press release. – Agence France
