Frank Franze, Class of 1950, who lives in Slidell, Louisiana, reports that “We are all OK. We are high and dry.”

Thousands of Louisianans are not.

Seven died in the floods caused by 30 inches of rainfall. More than 20,000 had to be rescued.

There are 10,000 in shelters.

The federal government declared a major disaster in Louisiana Sunday after torrential rain inundated the state. Six river gauges reached record depths.

Baton Rouge, the state capital and home of Louisiana State University, was hit hard, particularly the eastern half into Denham Springs. So the worst flooding was 70 to 90 miles from Frank’s home in Slidell.

Motorists were stranded on Interstate 12. State police and National Guard went car to car to rescue them. A produce truck, also stranded, distributed food to the motorists. 125 vehicles were stranded on a seven-mile stretch between Tangipahoa Parish and Baton Rouge.

More than 1,000 homes were flooded in Baton Rouge, more than 1,000 in Livingston, 200 in St. Helena Parish and more than 500 in Tangipahoa Parish.

Actor Wendell Pierce, who starred in the “Treme” series that depicted the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in vivid terms, had his home destroyed by the Baton Rouge flooding. Pierce’s parents’ home was damaged by Katrina.

Pierce worked on several projects to aid in New Orleans’ battle back from the ravages of Katrina, which cost Greater New Orleans about half its population through death and moving elsewhere.

  

200 Louisiana Air National Guard and 750 National Guard are handling rescues. Watercraft also are being used in rescues. Buses are evacuating residents from flooded communities.

Ochsner Medical Center in Baton Rouge evacuated patients.

Even the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion was flooded, forcing evacuation.

68-year-old William Mayfield drowned when he slipped and fell into floodwaters at his trailer park near Zachary, Louisiana.

Flooding is not a stranger to Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 drove 30,000 to the Louisiana SuperDome and 19,000 to the New Orleans Convention Center for safety. 100,000 had no transportation. 60,000 were rescued. 1,577 died in Louisiana. 300,000 homes were destroyed. There was $81 billion in property damage.

As many fled to other states, the population of Greater New Orleans shrank from 1 million to 581,418. Nearly half the residents died or moved elsewhere.

Frank moved from Jasper, Texas to Slidell after his second wife, Linda Corkern Franze, passed away in 2013 to be nearer his children, who were caught in Hurricane Katrina.