We had mandatory evacuations south of Interstate 12, but the subdivisions close to I-12 did not leave. Those subdivisions north of Interstate 12 did not have to leave. Water from Lake Pontchartain was not the main cause of damage in our area, it was the pine trees. Most areas were without power for weeks, but many homes now have their own generators to be able to take care of basic necessities.

Yes, Mandeville was in the mandatory evacuation area for both, which included all of St. Tammany Parish south of I-12. If you did not evacuate you were not subject to arrest or penalty, but emergency services would not be obligated to respond if you made a 911 call during a Hurricane and lived in the mandatory evacuation area.

I evacuated due to elderly relatives, but many of my friends stayed behind for both. Mandeville had no flooding except for right at the lakefront during Katrina, and none from Gustav.

The actual city of Mandeville is completely south of I-12 however there are some hoems north of I-12 that are still in the Mandeville zip code 70471. Generally speaking when an evacuation is ordered it is for everyone south of I-12, however my family did stay for Gustav. We are miles inland, have a generator, were well stocked with supplies, and are nowhere near water. The true danger lies in trees falling on your house though. Lost power for about a week.

Comfort tip for those planning to stay: drop your a/c down to 62 degrees for the two days that the storm is approaching - the slab cools down and if your house is well insulated (like our 25 yr old ranch), it will stay relatively cool for a few days til the power is restored.

Hello "Seaweed5,"

Here is a link to a newsclip from August 30, 2008 discussing St Tammany Parish evacuations for Hurricane Gustav: http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2008/08/st_tammany_o…

Typically areas south of the I-12 in St Tammany Parish (to include parts of Mandeville) are the first to be under a mandatory evacuation. Individuals in lower lying areas, areas near rivers and in trailers that are north of I-12 are urged to evacuate as well.

I hope this information is helpful. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions or would like help determining if a particular property is located north or south of the I-12.

Karin Smith - REALTOR
ABEK Real Estate
Cell: 985-707-7624
Email: Ksmith.realestate@gmail.com
Website: http://www.propertypromenade.com

All of St.Tammany Parish was under mandatory evacuation order during both storms,although many areas did not flood in Katrina & Gustav missed us altogether--hitting Baton Rouge instead. The parish president takes no chances.

You would most likely evacuate for big storms.
Let me know if you have other questions or if you would like a little higher areas.
Craig@MBelRealty.com

you have to evacuate if you live south of I-12