Deadly storms force thousands from homes in Louisiana

Rising water in Louisiana threatens levee

The deadly storms punishing the South unleashed another round of torrential rain overnight.

Thousands have been forced from their homes in northern Louisiana, where more than 20 inches of rain fell this week.

CBS News rode along with National Guard Staff Sgt. Genevieve Tolar in the Golden Meadows subdivision of Bossier Parish. They delivered sand bags and have already rescued around 100 people.

The evacuations in Angela Tellis's neighborhood were voluntary Thursday night. The National Guard helped get Tellis and her two daughters to safety, but her 22-year-old son Jimmy decided to stay behind.

But fears grew that the levees would breach.

"They just turned it into a mandatory evacuation right now so we got to get everybody we can on the truck," Tolar said.

So Staff Sgt. Tolar and the Tellis family went back for her stubborn son.

"I told you it was mandatory," Tellis told her son.

More people joined them as this area braces for more potentially life-threatening weather.

Flooding this severe is rare in this part of Louisiana. Chris Perkins isn't from here, but came to help.

"Just helping the neighborhood, it's hard to see these people struggling. Why not do something good?" Perkins said.

Air Force Captain Mike Middlebrooks, who is also not from the area, spent the day hauling sandbags.

"There's a need," Middlebrooks said. "Got to help people who can't help themselves."

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