Video Blog: Hurricane Ida
From tropical storm, to full-on hurricane status, back to storm; devastation remains
GULF COAST (KYMA, KECY/CBS/NBC) - Many states along the southeastern coast of the Unites States have been devastated as Hurricane Ida rolled through heading inland.
Hurricane Ida mad landfall around noon Sunday with 145 mph winds at Port Fourchon, Louisiana. It moved over the southeastern part of the state as an "Extremely dangerous" category 4 storm.
National Hurricane Center officials warned throughout the weekend about a catastrophic storm surge, extreme winds and flashing flooding in southeastern Louisiana.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released satellite footage of the eye of the storm as it hit the gulf coast.
Weather officials consider Hurricane Ida one of the most powerful storms to ever his the U.S. mainland. And it's just in time for the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
With the communication networks down across Louisiana, state officials are unsure of the extent of the damage, as well as the amount of lives which may have been taken. So far, one death has been confirmed.
Saint Bernard Parish (a city east of New Orleans) officials released before-and-after views of the floodwaters.
Amazingly, the difference between the shots is only about an hour's time difference before Hurricane Ida made landfall.
Hurrican Ida also wreaked havoc in the City of Biloxi, Mississippi, flooding a nearby highway.
Fortunately for locals, the hurricane had been lowered to a tropical storm before raining down on Biloxi.
"As predicted by the national weather service, this is one of the strongest storms to make landfall here in modern times," said Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards.
He continued, "There may be 30,000 linemen available in the state of Louisiana to restore power after the storm. I don't know that we've had that number before. But prioritizing their work is going to be critically important."
Tropical weather from Hurricane Ida has been continuous throughout the coast of Alabama.
Officers stated that buildings around US 43 and Saraland have been affected but no major injuries have been reported. They also advise avoiding the route entirely.
A meteorologist with the National Weather Serviced stated, “We detected on radar rotational (activity) and that prompted the warning. The only pictures of damages we’ve seen have been in Saraland.”
One family spotted a dolphin in Louisiana floodwaters following Hurricane Ida.
A member of the family, Amanda Huling, stated that she and her family were biking to check the neighborhood damage when she saw the dolphin.
Saint Bernard crews saved a cow trapped in a tree along the Louisiana coast, south of New Orleans. Rescue personnel believe it must've been swept away by floodwaters.
