The rescue teams of the National Guard, with thousands of soldiers and hundreds of helicopters, boats and amphibious vehicles, are all mobilized and in action. At least one victim has so far been ascertained and the devastation appears enormous, with the toll still only provisional. 16 years after Katrina’s drama, another powerful hurricane – Ida – hit New Orleans and Louisiana with extreme violence starting Sunday night, then extending its range to numerous other southern American states. At least one million people were left completely without electricity. President Joe Biden immediately declared a state of emergency for Louisiana, authorizing the sending of special federal aid.
Force hurricane 4
Ida struck southeastern Louisiana first as a force 4 hurricane, between Sunday and Monday, and then continued as a tropical storm. The alarm for strong winds and tornado risks still remains, from Alabama to Florida. At least 50 million people from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico to the northeastern United States are plagued by potential flooding and torrential rain. Ida moves very slowly, as is often the case in the era of the greenhouse effect which aggravates the duration, strength and potential consequences of hurricanes.
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Curfew in Jefferson
The winds Ida brought with her to the mainland were initially above 100 miles per hour – and 70 miles on the streets of New Orleans. After hours they still blow at 45 miles an hour. Louisiana Governor, Democrat John Bel Edwards, has appealed to the people to stay safe. Some of the hardest hit areas, such as the large Jefferson suburb near New Orleans with nearly half a million inhabitants, have declared curfews.
Catastrophic damage
The assessment of damage already considered catastrophic left in its wake by Ida is now underway: the whole city of New Orleans, and at least half of the state of Louisiana, is without electricity. In a visual symbol of Ida’s impact, an entire large high-voltage pylon collapsed into the Mississippi River. Experts predict it will take days for accurate estimates. Governor Edwards, however, called Ida one of the most dramatic storms to ever hit Louisiana from 1850 to the present.
Energy production blocked
Crucial energy production, not just services and distribution networks, is also affected by the impact of Ida: the oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico had been evacuated early and refineries in the region were shut down and made safe. Analysts have predicted a surge in already high gasoline prices before business returns to normal.