Hurricane Ida : Elderly flood victim attacked by alligator presumed dead

Investigation into 71-year-old’s disappearance is still under investigation

An elderly man in Louisiana is thought to be dead after being attacked by an alligator during Hurricane Ida, say reports.

The unnamed man, 71, was in his garden in the town of Slidell, says local news station WWL-TV. According to his wife, he was out in the shed that had become flooded due to the Category 4 storm.

After getting bitten on his arm, she went to see what had happened after hearing a splash. She is said to have pulled him out of the water and then left to get medical supplies, say St Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. When she returned, he was nowhere to be seen, according to local law enforcement. His body is yet to be uncovered.

Authorities are not treating his death as suspicious but their investigation is ongoing. Neighbours say that alligators are known to interact with humans as they often feed them, according to law enforcement.

In a statement about the incident, Sheriff Randy Wilson urged residents to be “extra vigilant” when in flooded areas as animals may be far away from their usual habitats due to the storm.

According to video posted on Twitter, a dolphin was seen swimming in the flood in the town of Slidell.

It is believed that at least 15 people were rescued in Slidell by emergency services during the hurricane.

According to reports, there have been four confirmed deaths due to Hurricane Ida. According to the state’s governor John Bel Edwards, it is believed to rise “considerably.”

A million people are thought to be without power and 2,200 people have been evacuated from their homes. President Joe Biden has deployed 5,000 members of the National Guard to help with the recovery effort.

According to records, Ida was the 5th strongest hurricane to hit the mainland; winds reached 150 miles per hour. However, it recently was downgraded to a tropical depression as it heads towards Tennessee and Ohio.

“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,” Gov John Bel Edwards told the Associated Press before it arrived.

Before Ida, Louisiana had been battling the impact of the Delta variant of Covid-19 and there is additional concern about the virus’ impact on the aftermath.