First modification: 29/08/2021 – 14:32
Category 4 Hurricane Ida has made landfall over the southern US state of Louisiana. The state has been preparing for weeks for possible natural disasters that might overwhelm emergency services. In the heads of most citizens is what was generated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, something that has motivated the displacement of thousands of them towards the interior of the continent.
Hurricane Ida is already making itself felt in the southern United States. The state of Louisiana was the one that suffered the entry of this powerful category 4 hurricane, between 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, and an intensity that has been increasing in recent hours.
Ida hit just on the 16th anniversary of the deadly Hurricane Katrina that destroyed the city of New Orleans, in the same state.
After the powerful arrival of Ida, President Joe Biden offered a press conference in which he warned that this climatic phenomenon represents a danger to life. Biden said immense devastation is expected, marked by power outages that might last weeks for residents near the Gulf Coast.
“The devastation is likely to be immense. We should not kid ourselves… We are going to do our best for rescue and recovery. I have been around for many hurricanes, and I don’t think we have ever been so prepared,” the president added.
Biden on Hurricane Ida at FEMA HQ: “The devastation is likely to be immense. We shouldn’t kid ourselves.”
“We’re gonna put the country’s full might behind rescue and recovery… I’ve been around for a lot of hurricanes, and I don’t think we’ve ever had as much preparation.” pic.twitter.com/mLsxt9ip8g
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) August 29, 2021
According to tracking app ‘PowerOutage’, more than 122,000 Louisiana homes and businesses have already lost power, mostly in the southeastern part of the state. The southern state’s governor, John Bel Edwards, said Ida might be the worst direct hit to the area by a hurricane since the 1850s.
Just three days following emerging as a tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea, Ida had become a hurricane that is registering winds of up to 240 km per hour and has caused strong storm surges that have led to coastal flooding.
One of the most worrying aspects was the resilience of the health system, which has been prepared by equipping it with electricity generators and water heaters to guarantee energy and hot water to patients. Some patients in coastal areas, such as Morgan City, were relocated to the facilities, toward the center of the state.
This issue is of particular concern as Louisiana continues to suffer significantly from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic, as a large number of its population have not been vaccinated.
Jon Bel Edwards said 5,000 National Guard soldiers were organized in 14 churches to ensure search and rescue efforts with vehicles, boats and helicopters. And 10,000 electricians are prepared to respond to power outages.
Edwards emphasized the state’s hurricane risk reduction system. The National Guard has been activated with emergency operations and the state fire marshal’s office has more than 100 boats in southern Louisiana. State officials are prepared to respond to widespread power outages and shelter services are being provided throughout the state.
Also, Edwards urged residents to evacuate to the north and west of the state, emphasizing preparing food and water along with medicine and following storm updates to better monitor the situation.
The mobilizations have also advanced rapidly
“This is going to be a storm that might change the lives of those who are unprepared,” National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott said Friday during a news conference with the governor.
As thousands of people made their way to the airport, the region’s Transportation Security Administration spokesperson advised those flying from New Orleans to call their airlines to reschedule pending flights and confirmed the closure of the airport and cancellation of flights. arrival and departure.
#HurricaneIda Update: All arriving and departing flights scheduled for tomorrow (Sun. 8/29) have been cancelled due to anticipated hurricane.
— New Orleans Airport (@flyneworleans) August 29, 2021
On Friday, President Biden approved Louisiana’s request for an emergency declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also declared a state of emergency on the Saturday before the storm.
Thousands of people decided to leave their vacations and homes to avoid putting themselves at risk during the days before the arrival of the storms. The interior of the state is seen as an area where the risk of flooding is much lower.
Louisiana will test its levees
In the memory of most of the inhabitants of this southern state, the bitter memory produced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 still remains. This hurricane affected especially vulnerable populations and left a balance of 1,800 fatalities.
To prevent this, in recent years a series of dikes have been built on the sea and the coast in an attempt to prevent large surges and floods, something that will be put to the test with the passage of Ida.
The National Weather Service station in New Orleans urged the many residents who do not have interior rooms in their homes to move to a closet or bathroom to protect themselves. Thousands of homeless people have also been assisted by the authorities in the face of the obvious risk.
The authorities trust in the containment action of the dikes, although they expressed doubts regarding the situation in the south of the state, where there are still several kilometers to build. Louisiana is a state with a very low average altitude and is easily flooded.
With AP and Archyde.com.