A Platteville woman is raising funds on behalf of her sister, whose house suffered major damage during recent Louisiana flooding.

Barbara and Dalton “Beanie” Margan of Gonzales, La., are living in a friend’s travel trailer after several inches of water made them lose “basically everything,” according to Barbara’s sister, Pat Moxness of Platteville.

Rainfall exceeded 20 inches at the rate of 2 to 3 inches per hour in portions of Louisiana, causing flooding starting Aug. 12. The Washington Post reported that the storm dumped three times as much rain on Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and four times as much water needed to fill Lake Pontchartrain. Thirteen people were confirmed dead, 30,000 people were evacuated, and an estimated 140,000 homes were damaged.

Gonzales, La., is located in Ascension Parish, between Baton Rouge and New Orleas. Almost one-third of homes in Ascension Parish were flooded after a levee along the Amite River, which flows east of Gonzalez, was overtopped by flood waters. Gonzales is about five miles west of the Mississippi River.

A Barbara Margan Flood Benefit account has been established at Mound City Bank in Platteville. Donations may be directed to Mound City Bank, 25 E. Pine St., Platteville, WI 53818. All donations will go directly to the Margans.