Hurricane Ida Strikes Louisiana and Causes Lots Of Damage

by Tristin Pierce

October 7, 2021

Hurricane Ida destroys Houses and more in Louisiana (Photo: US Coast Guard).

Hurricane Ida is the fifth strongest Hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland. It came 16 years after Hurricane Katrina and some say they have some similarities. Hurricane Ida and Katrina both have very similar dates, strengths, locations and impact on Louisiana's power and water systems.

Hurricane Ida developed in the Caribbean Sea on August 28, 2021. It then strengthened and moved towards Louisiana on August 29, 2021. Reaching up to its 150 mile per hour wind, Hurricane Ida has caused unbelievable damage to the state. Hurricane Ida is a category 5 hurricane which is the highest category hurricane possible. Hurricane Ida has knocked out electricity for over 1 million locals in the state of Louisiana.

Even though a lot of damage is being caused to the state, the city of New Orleans was hit the hardest. Like I said before Hurricane Ida has knocked out electricity for millions of people, this is really bad because the electricity is now running throughout the water which means it could easily kill people. A lot of people don’t know when or if they will ever be able to return to their houses because of this issue.

Since the electricity is out this means there is going to be no air conditioning or use of the stove or microwave. This is not good because there is going to be a big heat wave coming their way and they won’t have air conditioning so this could lead to even more deaths. They also won’t have access to the stove and microwave so they won’t be able to cook food.

Louisiana National Guardsmen with the 922nd Engineer Vertical Construction Company helped rescue 135 people and four dogs in the flooded community of LaPlace, Louisiana, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in south Louisiana Aug. 29, 2021 (Photo: Louisiana National Guard).

You might be thinking why don't all of these people just evacuate the city? Well the Hurricane has limited people's access to transportation because it has destroyed most of their transportation. Since this is happening, the U.S. has sent about five thousand National Guard members to Louisiana to help save people and get them out of the city of New Orleans. In addition to the National Guards, a little more than twenty five thousand workers have mobilized to try to help with the power restoration for the people that are sticking the Hurricane out.

Hurricane Ida didn’t only affect Louisiana, it affected other states such as Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and New York. Hurricane Ida has caused about $95 billion in damage across all of these states. On top of the property damage, the death count has reached over 80.

I know you might be thinking what can we do to help. Well, you can donate money to people who have been affected by Hurricane Ida at redcross.org. This will take you to the homepage of the American Red Cross where you can donate. Yet, you don’t have to donate money. If you are willing to, you could travel to a state that has been affected and help with the clean up or help rescue people and animals that are in need. With all of this madness going on it makes you wonder, will the states affected by the Hurricane be able to recover? Or will thousands of people be homeless because of the Hurricane? Time will tell what happens, but until then we just have to pray for the best.