Residents who lived in the maze of bayous and rivers along the state’s Gulf Coast retreat to their roofs or attics and post their addresses to social media, with instructions to search-and rescue teams.
Ida, one the most powerful hurricanes to ever hit the U.S., left more than 1,000,000 customers without power in Louisiana and Mississippi, including New Orleans.
Officials said it could take weeks for the power grid to be repaired.
The storm continued to move inland with torrential rains and shrieking winds. It was responsible for at least two deaths: a motorist who drowned near New Orleans and another victim struck by a tree outside Baton Rouge.
The full extent of the fury was still being felt, with many roads closed and cell phone service disrupted in some areas. Christina Stephens, spokesperson for Gov. John Bel Edwards stated that, given the extent of destruction, “We are going to have many more confirmed deaths.”
According to the governor’s office, damage to the power grid was “catastrophic”. This is bad news for anyone left without air conditioning or refrigeration during the heat of summer. Highs are expected to reach the mid-80s by midweek.
Rescuers were on standby to save people from flood-damaged homes in LaPlace, a small community between Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River.
Debbie Greco, her husband, and her son rode through the storm in LaPlace together with Greco’s parents. The water reached the first floor windows. It then knocked down Greco’s back door, filling the brick home with 4ft of water. They fled to the second floor but the roof collapsed under the force of screaming winds.
After waiting in the only dry spot for five hours, they were finally saved by boat.
“When I rebuild it, I’m done with here. “I’m done Louisiana,” Greco’s father Fred Carmouche (85), a long-time resident, said.
People pulled out pieces of their chimneys, gutters, and other parts to the curb in LaPlace. Residents of a mobile home park were forced to wade through floodwaters.
On the 16th anniversary Katrina’s 2005 storm, which flooded New Orleans’ levees and decimated the city, Hurricane Irene pounced on New Orleans. It was responsible for 1,800 deaths.
New Orleans seemed to be able to avert the devastating flooding that officials had feared. The governor also said that Louisiana’s levees had been “extremely well” after Katrina but still suffered “tremendous damages” to homes, businesses, and other property.
After evacuating, Stephanie Blaise returned home to New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward with her father. It lost a few shingles. She didn’t know when electricity would be restored so she didn’t intend to stay too long.
“We don’t have to go through that. I will have to persuade him to go. We have to move somewhere. She said she couldn’t keep in the heat.
New Orleans police received numerous reports of theft and made several arrests.
People who had to evacuate were urged by the city to remain away from the area for at most a few days due to lack of fuel and power. Collin Arnold, chief for emergency preparedness, stated that there are not many reasons to return.
The state Health Department stated that 18 water systems in Louisiana, which serve approximately 255,000 customers, were also taken out of service.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, four Louisiana hospitals sustained damage and 39 other medical facilities were still using generator power. Officials claimed that they were moving patients to other areas and were working with many others.
According to the governor’s office, more than 2,200 people are currently staying in 41 shelters. This number is expected to increase as more people are rescued from their homes. According to the spokesperson for Governor Mike Pence, the state will move people as quickly as possible to hotels so they can maintain their distance.
Stephens stated, “This is a COVID nightmare,” and added: “We do anticipate some COVID spikes associated with this.”
Officials said that Interstate 10, the main east-west route along Gulf Coast, was closed between New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. The water level at one point was reported to have been 4 feet.
According to forecasters, Slidell, Louisiana received at least 15.7 inches while New Orleans received almost 14 inches. Other areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida received 5 to 11 inches.
According to the Louisiana National Guard, 4,900 Guard personnel were activated and 195 high water vehicles, 73 rescue boats, and 34 helicopters were lined up. Hundreds more were being added by state and local agencies.
Since Sunday afternoon, emergency officials have not heard from Grand Isle. According to Cynthia Lee Sheng, Jefferson Parish President, approximately 40 people remained on the barrier island. It was the hardest hit by the hurricane and was flooded by seawater.
Entergy and the local authorities reported that the hurricane caused widespread outages by destroying a tower carrying key transmission lines from the Mississippi River to New Orleans. According to Entergy, more than 2,000 miles worth of transmission lines and 216 substations were out of commission. The tower survived Katrina.
The storm also brought down utility poles and trees onto power lines. It caused transformers to explode, causing them to light up the night sky with flashes.
On Sunday, the governor stated that 30,000 utility workers were present in the state to restore electricity.
AT&T claimed that its wireless network in Louisiana has been reduced to 60% from normal. Many people turned to walkie-talkies. The staff of the governor’s office had no working phone. To get service, the company sent a mobile tower over to the emergency preparedness office of the state.
Charchar Chaffold fled her home in LaPlace, Alabama to seek help after a tree fell on her house on Sunday. She tried desperately to contact five relatives who had stayed behind via text message.
They last called her Sunday night. After water entered their home, they found them in the attic. She said, “They told me that they believed they were going to die.”
Ida’s 150 mph winds (230 kph), tied it for fifth strongest hurricane to hit the mainland. Around midday Monday, its winds dropped to 40 mph (64,5 kph).
Mississippi’s southwest corner was flooded, and entire neighborhoods were destroyed. Many roads were also blocked.
Ida was to gain speed Monday night, before pouring rain on the Tennessee River Valleys Tuesday, the Appalachian Mountain Region Wednesday, and the capital of the United States on Thursday.
Forecasters warned of flash flooding and mudslides along Ida’s path, before it blows out over New England on Friday.
