Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says officials are closely monitoring a tropical disturbance that threatens to move into the Gulf of Mexico, worried it could wreak havoc on areas of his state that are recovering from recent flooding.

The governor said FEMA and state agencies walked through scenarios last week. The exercise was aimed at preparing response plans in case a hurricane hits Louisiana while thousands of people are displaced and debris is piled up for miles around neighborhoods.

The mounds of debris, Edwards said, could become “a missile” in the strong winds of any hurricane.

But the governor said Wednesday he is “fervently praying” that a hurricane or tropical weather won’t hit the state. He added: “I would appreciate other people’s prayers as well.”