Louisiana Flood Damage At Least $8.7 Billion, Governor Says

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says his state had more than $8.7 billion in damage from catastrophic flooding in August, and the figure will increase as officials finish assessing damage to roads and other public infrastructure.

The governor's office Saturday released a letter Edwards sent Friday to President Barack Obama.

Edwards asks that Congress this month approve $2 billion in federal aid for Louisiana for housing, economic development and infrastructure. He says it's a "very reasonable request," adding to other federal programs assisting in Louisiana's flood recovery.

Edwards says damage has been documented to more than 55,000 houses, and that could double as aid applications and inspections continue. More than 80 percent of damaged homes lacked flood insurance because most were outside the flood plain. More than 6,000 businesses flooded.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.