LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana (CNN) -- Rescuers fanned out early Sunday in southwest Louisiana to search for trapped people who did not heed the mandatory evacuation orders issued ahead of Hurricane Rita.
Strong winds, rain and darkness hampered the search in Vermilion Parish on Saturday, and in some cases, the water was so rough that it capsized rescue boats.
Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen told CNN that no deaths had been reported so far in the state. (Watch the search for survivors in Louisiana -- 1:56)
One person was killed in Belzoni, Mississipi, when a tornado spawned by the remnants of Rita ripped through two subdivisions, state emergency officials said.
In Lake Charles, Louisiana, the storm smashed buildings and filled the streets with water.
"The lake has risen higher than I've ever seen in my lifetime," said Mayor Randy Roach, who has lived in the town of 75,000 for all his life.
But, Roach said, "Everyone who wanted to got out." (Watch video of flooded Lake Charles, Louisiana, as the city's mayor describes damage -- 3:00)
Allen said that the Army Corps of Engineers was dropping sandbags to shore up New Orleans' levees.
Rita overtopped levees repaired by sandbags from Katrina's damage by about 2 feet, Allen said -- the day after the Army Corps of Engineers had pumped out as much of Katrina's water as they could with the city's fixed pumps.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry reported no deaths from his state -- except for the 24 evacuees who were killed when their bus caught fire on Friday and exploded.
It appears the refining industry, the oil and gas industry, (suffered) a glancing blow at worse," Perry told CNN. "But the most important part -- this time, other than the tragedy of the bus, there's been no loss of life from the actual hurricane." (Full story)
Perry went on a helicopter tour of damaged areas on Sunday.
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