Daily US Times: Communities in the US state of Louisiana beginning the huge task of clearing debris and repairing the damage caused by Hurricane Ida are facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity in the oppressive, late-summer heat.
Ida ravaged the region’s power supply, leaving hundreds of thousands of other Louisiana and all of New Orleans residents in the dark with no clear timeline on when the power will be restored. Some areas outside New Orleans also suffered damage to homes and businesses and major flooding.
Governor John Bel Edwards said Monday: “I can’t tell you when the power is going to be restored. I can’t tell you when all the debris is going to be cleaned up and repairs made. But what I can tell you is we are going to work hard every day to deliver as much assistance as we can.”
Ida was blamed for at least 4 deaths in Mississippi and Louisiana, including 2 people killed on Monday night when seven vehicles plunged into a 20-foot-deep hole near Lucedale, Mississippi, where a highway had collapsed after torrential rains.
Rescuers in helicopters, boats and high-water trucks brought more than 670 people to safety, while 20 people were rescued in Mississippi. Rescuers planned to go door to door in hard-hit areas to find out trapped people and make sure everyone got out safely.
Also stuck in New Orleans were tourists who did not get out before the storm. The airport canceled all outgoing and incoming commercial flights for a third day, saying the lack of water and power meant no air conditioning or restrooms.
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