By David Jacobs | The Center Square

Tropical Storm Barry has so far not brought as much rain as was feared, though for some parts of Louisiana the worst may be yet to come.

“Don’t let your guard down yet thinking the worst is behind us,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Saturday night. “We’re going to see more rain tonight than we’ve seen thus far today in most places in south Louisiana.”

As of 10 p.m. central time, Barry was about 35 miles southwest of Alexandria in central Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center. Maximum sustained winds were about 50 miles per hour.

Dangerous storm surge and wind conditions continued across the north-central Gulf Coast, and heavy rains and life-threatening flooding were expected to spread northward across the lower Mississippi Valley, the Hurricane Center said.

Heavy rain bands still in the Gulf were threatening to come ashore, and flash floods capable of threatening life and property still are expected across much of south Louisiana, “anywhere from the New Orleans area and north of that all the way across to Lafayette,” Edwards said.

“You can’t predict precisely where, because you don’t know exactly where the bands are going to line up, for how long they’re going to dump, and where the next one is going to be behind that one,” he said.

No levee breaches have been reported and only a few levees have been overtopped. A levee in Plaquemines Parish at the southeast tip of Louisiana still was being overtopped Saturday night, though nearby La. 23 is open to traffic and residential areas within the levee system are safe, Edwards said.

A dozen people were rescued in Terrebonne Parish; 11 by the Coast Guard and one by local first responders. No additional search-and-rescue missions have been reported since Saturday morning.

In the Baton Rouge area, crest predictions for the Amite and Comite rivers have been lowered by two feet and three feet respectively, though both rivers still are expected to flood.

About 462 people are in 27 shelters across the state, Edwards said. Residents can call 211 for information about shelters in their area and call 511 or visit 511la.org for information about road closures.

“This storm has a long way to go before it leaves the state,” Edwards said.