Isaac Has Already Done Billions In Damage To Gulf Coast - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

President Barack Obama has declared federal emergencies in areas hit hard by Isaac. The move speeds up federal aid and recovery efforts.

And while the damage is far less than what many expected, there is a lot of work to be done.

So far, at least one person has died from the storm, and dozens of people have been rescued from their homes.

Isaac is still churning down South. It's not a hurricane anymore, but it's still dumping inches upon inches of rain on Louisiana.

Hundreds of thousands of other people are without power.

Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish is one of the areas hit hard by Isaac. The storm dumped several inches of rain on the area causing severe flooding.

In Laplace, La., floodwaters are waist-high in some neighborhoods. The Louisiana National Guard is working with sheriff's deputies to help rescue people stranded in their homes.

Officials were forced to rescue dozens of people by boat after they became stranded.

Rescue operations were also called for in Saint Bernard Parish. A number of residents there chose to ride out the storm in their homes, despite evacuation orders, then became overwhelmed by the heavy rain.

In New Orleans, the storm had less of an impact than many expected. The city's biggest problems seemed to be downed power lines, scattered tree limbs and minor flooding.

The city's historic French Quarter drew a steady stream of people looking for some refreshments and electricity despite the wind and rain.

But residents say it's nothing like Hurricane Katrina, which struck seven years ago to Wednesday.

"The $11 billion they spent to strengthen the levees was spent wisely," restaurant owner Moe Bader said.