HURRICANE IDA, Makes ‘Catastrophic’ Category 4 Landfall!

HURRICANE IDA MAKES ‘CATASTROPHIC’ CATEGORY 4 STORM LANDFALL IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA

Over the week the entire state of Louisiana has been on the lookout based on the storm’s trajectory as hurricane scientists kept a close watch on Ida while it was still in its early stage formation as a tropical storm, although during the storms’ early stage, the National Hurricane Center had warned that winds up to 111 miles per hour (178 km) are classified as major that could bring ‘catastrophic’ damage onshore. However, just as forecasted by experts that the storms could become major, it’s currently major and transformed into hurricane Ida, accompanied with catastrophic damages.

According to reports, Ida is currently traveling with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and has eventually made the earlier predicted landfall in southeast Louisiana on Sunday. In view of this, the federal authorities have warned of “catastrophic” damage that the subject could potentially threaten all homes and people in its path.

To be specific, the subject storm made its landfall specifically over Port Fourchon, Louisiana, at about 11:55 a.m. CDT even as Ida moves into the mouth of the Mississippi River, according to the NHC. Further on this, it was noted that Air Force Research aircraft and radar data indicated that “Ida’s maximum sustained winds at landfall were estimated to be 150 mph” – NHC.

Meanwhile, just as Ida was making landfall, the New Orleans Mayor ‘LaToya Cantrell’ assured her constituents during a press briefing on Sunday, by encouraging them to “be calm in the midst of this storm. You can be calm”.

“You have everything that you need. We will get through this together. Be prepared stay where you are”.  

Based on predictions, there are fears hurricane Ida could reach wind speeds of 157 mph, should the subject storms attain this speed! It will be classified as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, which rates storms from 1 to 5 based on maximum sustained wind speed.  

Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that this period marks the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s assault on New Orleans, yet a category 4 Ida slammed into the southeast Louisiana coastline after rapidly gaining momentum Saturday night. It’s also predicted that the powerhouse storms could wallop New Orleans with hurricane-force winds and over a foot of rain Sunday afternoon including evening.

Further on this, even as nature is proving its capacity in all dimensions, the NHC is predicting “potentially catastrophic” wind damage coupled with an “extremely life-threatening” ocean surge. Noting that devastating effects from destructive winds and flooding rain could potentially extend more than a hundred miles inland.

Yet, despite orders that were issued earlier to the Grand Isle community on Friday that residents should evacuate – and take their boats, campers and cars along, “as this storm is expected to bring high tides and heavy rainfall” according to a town notice. Noting that Louisiana’s Highway 1, notably the only road off the isle, would close when the waters got too dangerous.

Sadly enough, the road is now flooded, and dozens of people stayed behind according to officials with surrounding Jefferson County Parish.

On top of this, it comes as the spread of Covid-19, precisely the highly contagious delta variant is still a huge concern owing to the fact that the state is among with the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S., and with hurricane Ida, it rather makes things more difficult for health workers because they are already stressed.

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