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Tropical Storm Cindy kills boy in Alabama, brings regional flooding

By Andrew V. Pestano
Flooding has occurred in some Gulf U.S. states due to Tropical Storm Cindy, which killed a 10-year-old boy in Alabama on Wednesday. Photo by Alonso Cupul/EPA
Flooding has occurred in some Gulf U.S. states due to Tropical Storm Cindy, which killed a 10-year-old boy in Alabama on Wednesday. Photo by Alonso Cupul/EPA

June 22 (UPI) -- Alabama and Louisiana declared a state of emergency due to Tropical Storm Cindy, which has brought flooding to the region and killed a 10-year-old boy.

Cindy made landfall in Louisiana and Texas early Thursday. Ahead of the storm system's arrival, Galveston County, Texas, issued a voluntary evacuation for Bolivar Peninsula residents.

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"The voluntary evacuation order is intended to alert residents of Bolivar Peninsula that emergency responders may be unable to reach them," Galveston County Judge Mark Henry, who issued the evacuation, said. "Elderly residents and people with medical conditions should make plans to leave the area before dark."

Some flooding has occurred, including near New Orleans' Lake Pontchartrain. Light roof damage has also been reported in Plaquemines, La.

Flooding up to 3 feet high has been reported in streets in parts of southern Alabama, southern Mississippi, southeastern Louisiana and western portions of the Florida panhandle.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a state of emergency on Wednesday. The state "learned from last year's floods that even unnamed storms can be devastating," he said.

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"All arms of the state's emergency preparedness and response apparatus are taking Tropical Storm Cindy seriously, and we are calling on all Louisianans throughout the state to do so as well," Edwards said in a statement. "State and local officials are working around the clock to monitor and respond to dangerous situations as they develop. In the meantime, please do all you can to prepare for the worst while praying for the best."

In Alabama, the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office said a wave knocked a log in front of a waterfront condo and into a 10-year-old boy, who was toppled and killed Wednesday morning. The boy and his family are from St. Louis and were vacationing in the area.

"The boy's father was outside but several feet away attending other children and noticed a huge wave was coming ashore heading toward the log and his son," Captain S.K. Arthur said in a statement. "The wave hit the log knocking the log into and over his son."

Nearly 3,000 people in Alabama experienced power outages on Wednesday and Thursday, though most power was restored after the outages. Less than 1,000 people experienced power outages in Louisiana as of early Thursday, the Entergy Louisiana provider said.

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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also declared a state of emergency.

"To ensure the state of Alabama is prepared, I have issued a State of Emergency effective today. This State of Emergency will guarantee state resources are on standby and are ready to assist impacted communities if necessary," Ivey said in a statement.

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