Flooded-car towing in New Orleans

A car stranded after street flooding is different from an ordinary non-starting car. NOLA Ready advises not to start a flooded vehicle and to have a mechanic assess it. Describe the water exposure when you speak to an independent business. McIntosh Ventures LLC operates this referral site and does not perform water recovery.

While water is rising

Follow emergency instructions. NOLA Ready says to move to higher ground, avoid walking or driving through floodwater, and abandon a car if water rises around it. Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency. Do not wait for a towing quote to address immediate danger.

Underpass lights and barricades come first

The city’s flood-warning system notice lists flood-warning lights at 12 underpasses, including Carrollton, City Park and Franklin Avenues beneath I-10 and Gentilly Boulevard and Marconi Drive beneath I-610. Its instruction is that flashing warning lights mean the road is closed. The notice describes the system; it is not a live report that any particular street is open.

After reaching a safe place

NOLA Ready’s flooded-vehicle guidance recommends consulting a mechanic and contacting the insurer with policy and contact details. Keep the vehicle off until a qualified professional advises you. Do not attempt electrical work or recovery in standing water.

Separate the recovery from the onward tow

Tell the business what you can safely observe: the pickup position, whether water remains, whether the vehicle is accessible from dry ground and where it should go. Ask whether the quote includes recovering the car to an accessible position as well as transporting it. Confirm the destination with the receiving shop.

Do not assume a past flood waiver still applies

The NOLA Ready June 10 incident page describes a specific recovery operation with event-specific pound arrangements. That is not a standing promise of free towing or storage. For a car removed by the city, confirm current instructions on the city towing line.