Storm Ida: Second person dies as a million face weeks without power in aftermath of hurricane
Follow here for the latest updates after weather system makes landfall at Port Fourchon
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Hurricane Ida, the fifth-strongest to ever hit the mainland United States, has finally been downgraded to a tropical storm after spending 16 hours churning across Louisiana in what Joe Biden declared a “major disaster”.
Two people were confirmed dead in the storm’s aftermath, with the death toll expected to rise “considerably”.
Intensifying faster than experts had predicted, the weather system blasted into New Orleans exactly 16 years to the day after the devastating Hurricane Katrina, where it knocked power out across the city, tore off roofs and even reversed the flow of the Mississippi River.
Residents of the Gulf Coast evacuated their homes and businesses were shut down as much of the Louisiana coastline was plunged underwater. The hurricane claimed at least one life, after a tree fell onto a residential property in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana’s governor John Bel Edwards lamented that, “if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what we’re seeing”, warning residents of his state to brace for potentially weeks of recovery.
It was declared a tropical storm on Monday by the National Hurricane Centre, which warned that dangerous storm surges, damaging winds, and flash flooding would continue over portions of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi.
Video shows devastation in French Quarter, New Orleans
Shocking video footage shows the damage Hurricane Ida has already done to the French Quarter of New Orleans.
National Weather Service issues flash flood warning for New Orleans
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for New Orleans and its surrounding areas, effective until 10pm tonight.
Satellite footage shows frightening path of storm system
A visual representation using satellite footage shows the frightening progress of Hurricane Ida, complete with flashes of lightning around the storm’s eye. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration posted the animation on Twitter.
Video shows roof being torn off home as winds pummel Louisiana
Video footage shows the moment powerful winds from Hurricane Ida tore the roof off a house in Chauvin, Louisiana.
Video shows winds tearing through New Orleans
Alarming video footage shows brutal winds ripping through the street outside a Hyatt hotel in New Orleans.
Delacroix, Louisiana is badly flooded
Video footage shows that Delacroix, Louisiana – not far from New Orleans – has been severely flooded.
“This is Delacroix as Ida comes ashore,” WWLTV reporter Paul Murphy wrote in a tweet including the shocking footage. “Storm surge pushed in over a back levee and flooded the area. St. Bernard Parish is expecting 8-12 feet of tidal surge. Courtesy Delacroix Yacht Club.”
Authorities issue extreme wind warning for several Louisiana cities
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme wind warning for Houma, Metairie, and Kenner, Louisiana, effective until 6:30pm CDT.
“Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!” the Service tweeted.
Hurricane Ida is now moving north
Hurricane Ida is moving north through Louisiana, the National Weather Service has announced.
“Ida appears as though it is starting to try to make the turn northward,” the Service tweeted. “The extreme wind warning has been expanded eastward some into Jefferson Parish as a result. If you got the warning, PLEASE stay in an interior room or small room with no windows.”
New Orleans is now almost completely without power
Nearly all of New Orleans has been blacked out by power outages, data from the utility company Entergy shows.
NOLA journalist Amie Just pointed out the horrifying numbers on Twitter.
“Still traces of green (meaning power) in New Orleans,” she captioned a color-coded graphic, “but the number of Entergy customers without power is increasing by the minute as Hurricane Ida moves into the metro.”
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