The despair of those who came out of the storm can be seen on the four- to five-hour service lines that are still open in St. Mary’s Parish. Bernard, said Council member Richard Lewis. Many stocked up on their generators, preparing to resist the time it takes to open up their communities.
Although the storm has passed along the Gulf Coast, downed power lines, impassable roads and obstacles to rescue workers have pushed many local officials to ask the residents they evacuated not to return yet. And for those who waited for the storm at home, many will face temperatures of up to 103 degrees with no access to energy.
Teams compete to solve the problem. More than 25,000 workers from at least 32 states and the District of Columbia have mobilized to support energy restoration efforts throughout Louisiana, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) said Monday.
But when it comes to power outages, “nothing is a quick fix,” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Monday.
“While power depends on generators, I’m calling on all of our people and businesses that have the city’s ability to be good neighbors,” Cantrell said. “Share the power you have, open your businesses with people to recharge their devices.”
It can be difficult to get help
Many hazards, including collapsed structures, impassable roads and remaining flooding, also affect the ability of officials to send aid.
Louisiana State Police (LSP) on Monday told stranded residents, “It may be difficult to get help for quite some time.”
While the troops continue to help clear the roads, “all of the damage has yet to be seen.” Search and rescue workers are still unable to access certain areas, an LSP Facebook post said.
“A large part of the travel routes are blocked by trees and demolished power lines. In addition, there is stagnant water in some areas that can damage roads and sweep vehicles. There is also garbage scattered throughout the area, which It can make navigating our roads very difficult, “said LSP.
Paul Middendorf spent hours Monday rescuing people in LaPlace, Louisiana, with his canoe, volunteering with the Crowdsource Rescue group.
“Most (the rescues) were in the attic,” he said. “The water at the back of this neighborhood was about ten feet deep or more.”
As the hours passed, Middendorf said the water began to recede. Although in some parts he only had a knee depth, he remains deep in the chest with a strong current in many areas that are still flooded in LaPlace, he said.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday he knows there are people waiting to be rescued and that the state has deployed “thousands of people” to help in search and rescue efforts.
“We have thousands of people right now with high-speed vehicles and search and rescue boats. We have dozens of helicopters,” said Edwards, who added that the state “is doing everything possible to reach all people who need help. “
And for those who evacuated, dangerous conditions can also keep them away from home for some time.
Those who want to return to Lafourche parish could be delayed by up to a week, officials said Monday, even as crews work “all day to clear the roads.”
“The parish roads of Lafourche are currently impassable and will be for a while,” the parish said.
Dangerous road conditions contributed to the second storm-related death, the Louisiana Department of Health said Monday.
According to the department, a man drowned after attempting to drive his vehicle through floodwaters near I-10 and New Orleans West End Boulevard.
The first storm death occurred when a tree fell on a house in Prairieville, the Ascension Parish sheriff’s office said Sunday.
‘Hours of agony’
Possible weeks of difficulty follow a night of distressing experiences for many.
Don Dottolo, a resident of LaPlace, said Sunday night was more than he and his wife, Karen, thought they would face.
“Of course I was waiting for the water. I can deal with the water,” he said.
But Karen Dottolo said the water was deeper than expected. He began to enter his house when it got dark.
“We were scared for a while because he was going up the stairs,” he said.
The couple told CNN that they had experienced several hurricanes, including Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
“That was scary, but that was scary for 10 minutes,” Don Dottolo said. “It was hours of agony.”
In the parish of St. Tammany, there have been no reports of deaths or injuries, but parish president Mike Cooper told CNN that his parish suffered widespread damage and power outages as much of the area.
“We just had a horrible night with winds, rain, gusts, rising water, rising rivers, power outages,” Cooper said. “It’s incredible.”
Hospitals respond and Tennessee prepares
After the storm, many Gulf Coast hospitals are trying to figure out how to continue caring for patients amid the damage.
Four Louisiana hospitals were evacuated Monday, Edwards said.
“First of all, we really need our hospitals, more than anything, to come back up, so that people who are in ICU rooms and with fans, etc., can continue to receive the care they need to save lives, ”Edwards said. . “This is important all the time. It’s certainly important, even more so, because of the Covid situation.”
As the storm continues to move north, Tennessee officials are preparing to feel the impacts.
The National Guard, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and volunteer agencies are still cleaning up after a devastating and deadly flood earlier this month in the city of Waverly, and the area is now ready for possible Ida impacts. The August 21 flood in Humphreys County caused 20 lives.
In preparation for possible rapid flooding, county homeowners leaked damage to their homes before the storm to grab the remaining valuables that survived the last flood.
CNN’s Rebekah Riess, Keith Allen, Kay Jones, Gregory Lemos, Paul Pr. Murphy, Amanda Watts and Jenn Selva contributed to this report.