Harvey hit Louisiana with widespread flooding, but the state escaped the worst of the storm — here's what it looks like on the ground

Harvey threatened the state 12 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans. Thankfully, the tropical storm had lost most of its bluster by the time it crossed the Texas-Louisiana border.

Areas of southwest Louisiana saw up to 22 inches of rain, though, and widespread flooding filled the streets in towns like Iowa and Lake Charles, forcing many residents to evacuate.

Here's what it looks like on the ground in Louisiana:

Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, every major storm rekindles fears that New Orleans' levees could break again, plunging the city underwater.

Officials shored up levees and dams to prepare for the storm. Many areas of the city were built stronger after Katrina.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards briefed the media, met with residents, and visited shelters ahead of the storm to check in on preparations.

National Weather Service forecasters predicted the storm would dump 5 to 10 inches on the western half of the state, and 3 to 6 inches on the eastern side, with isolated areas getting up to 20 inches.

Harvey's highest rainfall total in Louisiana was recorded at the Conway Bayou, with 22.25 inches of rain. New Orleans got 5.88 inches.

This map shows the rainfall totals as of Thursday afternoon:

Some of the rains started during Harvey's first landfall in southeastern Texas on Friday or over the weekend, but most came after the storm's second landfall on Wednesday.

After temporarily moving over the Gulf, Harvey came back on land near Cameron, Louisiana, around 4:30 a.m. CT on Wednesday. By then, it was a tropical storm with maximum wind speeds around 45 mph.

The storm forced some residents to evacuate their homes. About 330 people sought refuge at this civic center in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

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Just 1 inch of floodwater can cause $20,000 of damage to an average sized home, since it can wreck flooring, furniture, drywall, and appliances. This man got several inches of water, and was ripping out his carpet on Wednesday.

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Floodwaters can also ruin vehicles. Water above a foot usually damages a car's electrical system enough that it needs to be scrapped.

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This video, shot in Golden Meadow on Wednesday, shows waist-high floodwaters filled with debris and algae. It was even deeper in some areas, sinking trucks and mailboxes.

But Louisiana was prepared.

Jack Montoucet, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, echoed many people when he expressed his thanks for the first responders and volunteers who worked tirelessly to rescue people from the floodwaters in his state and in Texas.

It means a lot to @LDWF tha... @ Jack Montoucet

Staff at the National Weather Service's New Orleans office even captured a rainbow at sunrise on Thursday. "We're thinking of all in SE TX & SW LA still in distress or recovering from the storm," they wrote.

Rainbow at sunrise this mor... @ NWS New Orleans

Harvey hit Louisiana with widespread flooding, but the state escaped the worst of the storm — here's what it looks like on the ground

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