Ida aftermath: Storm blamed for at least 4 deaths; thousands face weeks without power
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
With nearly 1.1 million people across Louisiana and Mississippi still without power, communities across the U.S. Gulf Coast are grappling with the arduous task of post-hurricane cleanup with no clear timeline for electricity restoration.
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser joins us to discuss the rescue efforts following Ida’s path of destruction. He tells @hodakotb that it could take weeks for some areas to have their power restored. pic.twitter.com/APNBz6nK76
By Tuesday morning, four deaths in two states had been attributed to Hurricane Ida, and a fifth man is presumed dead following a suspected alligator attack in the floodwaters outside his Louisiana home.
Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm just before 1 p.m. EDT Sunday at Port Fourchon, Louisiana, packing 150 mph winds that tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland U.S. Its arrival came 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina was blamed for at least 1,800 deaths, levee breaches, catastrophic flooding in New Orleans and widespread destruction along Mississippi’s gulf coast.
According to NOLA.com, the “just-completed” $14.5 billion system of levees, flood walls, pumps and gates built after Katrina did its job, minimizing storm surge and flooding.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told the news outlet that officials have not identified any levee failures associated with Ida, but he did confirm that some smaller levees in southeastern Louisiana that are not part of the federal system were overtopped, allowing water to inundate some homes.
By contrast, Edwards’ office described damage to the power grid as “catastrophic,” and power officials confirmed that some areas will remain without electricity for weeks.
Specifically, Ida toppled a giant tower that carries key transmission lines over the Mississippi River to the New Orleans area, knocking out more than 2,000 miles of transmission lines along with 216 substations, power company Entergy confirmed.
BREAKING: St. Charles Parish leaders say expect to be without power in the parish for *at least* ONE MONTH. @wdsu#IdaAftermath
Meanwhile, Ida knocked out 18 water systems - affecting more than 312,000 people - and boil-water advisories have been issued for another 14 systems serving some 329,000 people, Edwards’ office confirmed.
In areas with damage and power loss from #Ida, people should use extreme caution during the recovery phase. Post-storm fatalities and injuries often result from heart attacks, heat exhaustion, accidents, and carbon monoxide poisoning from improper generator use. https://t.co/QFZANWFsQa
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Jerilyn Collins returns to her destroyed home with the assistance of a Louisiana National Guard high water vehicle to retrieve medicine for herself and her father, and a few possessions, after she evacuated from rising floodwater in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Flooded streets and homes are shown in the Spring Meadow subdivision in LaPlace, La., after Hurricane Ida moved through Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. Hard-hit LaPlace is squeezed between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (Steve Helber/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Jeremy Hodges climbs down the side of his family's destroyed storage unit in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Houma, La. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (David J. Phillip/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Residents are rescued from floodwaters by members of the Louisiana State Fire Marshall's Office in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Terrell Berzat helps clear fallen trees for a family member in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Galen Bell sits with his dog, Mason, after being rescued from floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A damaged home is shown after Hurricane Ida moved through Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in LaPlace, La. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (Steve Helber/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Ambulances pass by a downed power pole after Hurricane Ida moved through Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in LaPlace, La. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (Steve Helber/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A car passes under a fallen power line in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Houma, La. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (David J. Phillip/AP)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A man and his stepson walk through water in Saint Rose, Louisiana, on August 30, 2021 after Hurricane Ida made landfall. - Powerful Hurricane Ida battered the southern US state of Louisiana, leaving at least one dead and knocking out power for more than a million people, including the whole of New Orleans. Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm on August 29, 2021, 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, but had weakened to a tropical storm early August 30, 2021.The storm knocked out power for all of New Orleans, with more than a million customers across Louisiana without power, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast KENNER, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 30: A man walks down a street flooded following Hurricane Ida on August 30, 2021 in Kenner, Louisiana. Ida made landfall yesterday as a category 4 storm southwest of New Orleans. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast BILOXI, MS - AUGUST 30: A man helps a stranded motorist in floodwaters on Beach Blvd. on August 30, 2021 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Tropical Storm Ida made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane yesterday in Louisiana and brought flooding and wind damage along the Gulf Coast. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A man cleans up damaged street signs in Kenner, Louisiana, on August 30, 2021 after Hurricane Ida made landfall. - Powerful Hurricane Ida battered the southern US state of Louisiana, leaving at least one dead and knocking out power for more than a million people, including the whole of New Orleans. Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm on August 29, 2021, 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, but had weakened to a tropical storm early August 30, 2021.The storm knocked out power for all of New Orleans, with more than a million customers across Louisiana without power, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast KENNER, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 30: A woman looks over damage to a neighborhood caused by Hurricane Ida on August 30, 2021 in Kenner, Louisiana. Ida made landfall yesterday as a category 4 storm southwest of New Orleans. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast KENNER, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 30: Angelina Coxum walks down a flooded street to check on a relatives home after Hurricane Ida passed through on August 30, 2021 in Kenner, Louisiana. Ida made landfall yesterday as a category 4 storm southwest of New Orleans. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast KENNER, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 30: Michelle Washington and her son Kendrick check out damage to their home in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida on August 30, 2021 in Kenner, Louisiana. Ida made landfall yesterday as a category 4 storm southwest of New Orleans. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast BILOXI, MS - AUGUST 30: Two men help a stranded motorist in floodwaters on Beach Blvd. on August 30, 2021 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Tropical Storm Ida made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane yesterday in Louisiana and brought flooding and wind damage along the Gulf Coast. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A truck drives through high water near Highway 61 in Destrehan, Louisiana, on August 30, 2021 after Hurricane Ida made landfall. - Powerful Hurricane Ida battered the southern US state of Louisiana, leaving at least one dead and knocking out power for more than a million people, including the whole of New Orleans. Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm on August 29, 2021, 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, but had weakened to a tropical storm early August 30, 2021.The storm knocked out power for all of New Orleans, with more than a million customers across Louisiana without power, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A truck drives through high water near Highway 61 in Destrehan, Louisiana, on August 30, 2021 after Hurricane Ida made landfall. - Powerful Hurricane Ida battered the southern US state of Louisiana, leaving at least one dead and knocking out power for more than a million people, including the whole of New Orleans. Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm on August 29, 2021, 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, but had weakened to a tropical storm early August 30, 2021.The storm knocked out power for all of New Orleans, with more than a million customers across Louisiana without power, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A person on a bicycle passes a damaged Shell station in Kenner, Louisiana, on August 30, 2021 after Hurricane Ida made landfall. - Powerful Hurricane Ida battered the southern US state of Louisiana, leaving at least one dead and knocking out power for more than a million people, including the whole of New Orleans. Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm on August 29, 2021, 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, but had weakened to a tropical storm early August 30, 2021.The storm knocked out power for all of New Orleans, with more than a million customers across Louisiana without power, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A New Orleans Firefighter assesses damages to downtown buildings resulting from the effects of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast New Orleans Firefighters assess damage as they look through debris after a building collapsed from the effects of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New Orleans, La. All of New Orleans lost power right around sunset Sunday as the hurricane blew ashore on the 16th anniversary of Katrina, leading to an uneasy night of pouring rain and howling wind. The weather died down shortly before dawn. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A massive oak, toppled by Hurricane Ida, stretches across a New Orleans street, stretching utility lines and resting against the fronts of two houses on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (Kevin McGill/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Traffic diverts around downed power lines Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Metairie, La. A fearsome Hurricane Ida has left scores of coastal Louisiana residents trapped by floodwaters and pleading to be rescued, while making a shambles of the electrical grid across a wide swath of the state in the sweltering, late-summer heat. One of the most powerful hurricanes ever to hit the U.S. mainland has now weakened into a tropical storm as it pushes inland over Mississippi with torrential rain and shrieking winds. (Steve Helber/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast This Monday, Aug. 30, 2021 photo shows a house in the mid city neighborhood of New Orleans where Chris Atkins and his wife were when the sheet rock came off during Hurricane Ida Sunday. (Rebecca Santana/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast A section of roof that was blown off of a building in the French Quarter by Hurricane Ida winds blocks an intersection, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast New Orleans Firefighters assess damages as they look through debris after a building collapsed from the effects of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast New Orleans Firefighters asses damages as they look through debris after a building collapsed from the effects of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Vehicles maneuver around a fallen sign in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Houma, La. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Jeremy Hodges looks of the damage to his family storage unit, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Houma, La. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Jeremy Hodges walks onto of their family storage unit in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Houma, La. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)
Ida damages buildings, floods roads on Gulf Coast Rene Hebert carries a computer through the family's destroyed offices as cleans up in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Houma, La. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)
