The good news is that this may, repeat may, have been a rather benign surge event, a slow rise rather than a tidal wave...the people in the flooded regions are escaping their houses per reports, which defacto means that they have houses left to escape from....fingers crossed.
Yes, indications seem to be that the rise was gentle, and not like what happened in Mississippi. I guess it's the difference between Cat 3 and Cat 4.