Hurricane Ida live Storm batters Louisiana leaving half a million without power on anniversary of Katrina

Reporter pummelled by Hurricane Ida during live report

Hurricane Ida, the fifth-strongest to ever hit the mainland Unied States, has made landfall as an “extremely dangerous” storm heading north across Louisiana.

The weather system blasted into New Orleans exactly 16 years to the day after the devastating Hurricane Katrina, blowing off roofs and even reversing the flow of the Mississippi River.

It could plunge much of the Louisiana shoreline under water, having intensified faster than experts had predicted. Residents of the Gulf Coast have been evacuating their homes and businesses have been shut down.

Although it made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, it soon slowed to a Category 3 but authorities said this did not mean a reduced threat.

“This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what we’re seeing,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

“The storm surge is just tremendous. We can see the roofs have been blown off of the port buildings in many places.”

In the city’s famous French Quarter, debris can be seen scattered across the streets.

Show latest update 163027839081mph gusts in New Orleans â€" residents to ‘shelter within shelter’

New Orleans has just recorded a wind gust of 81mph and the National Weather Service is advising residents to shelter within parts of their own homes in case of structural damage.

Alastair Jamieson30 August 2021 00:061630278015New Orleans is now almost completely without power

Nearly all of New Orleans has been blacked out by power outages, data from the utility company Entergy shows.

NOLA journalist Amie Just pointed out the horrifying numbers on Twitter.

“Still traces of green (meaning power) in New Orleans,” she captioned a color-coded graphic, “but the number of Entergy customers without power is increasing by the minute as Hurricane Ida moves into the metro.”

Nathan Place30 August 2021 00:001630277115Hurricane Ida is now moving north

Hurricane Ida is moving north through Louisiana, the National Weather Service has announced.

“Ida appears as though it is starting to try to make the turn northward,” the Service tweeted. “The extreme wind warning has been expanded eastward some into Jefferson Parish as a result. If you got the warning, PLEASE stay in an interior room or small room with no windows.”

Nathan Place29 August 2021 23:451630276215Authorities issue extreme wind warning for several Louisiana cities

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme wind warning for Houma, Metairie, and Kenner, Louisiana, effective until 6:30pm CDT.

“Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!” the Service tweeted.

Nathan Place29 August 2021 23:301630275315Delacroix, Louisiana is badly flooded

Video footage shows that Delacroix, Louisiana â€" not far from New Orleans â€" has been severely flooded.

“This is Delacroix as Ida comes ashore,” WWLTV reporter Paul Murphy wrote in a tweet including the shocking footage. “Storm surge pushed in over a back levee and flooded the area. St. Bernard Parish is expecting 8-12 feet of tidal surge. Courtesy Delacroix Yacht Club.”

Nathan Place29 August 2021 23:151630274415Video shows winds tearing through New Orleans

Alarming video footage shows brutal winds ripping through the street outside a Hyatt hotel in New Orleans.

Nathan Place29 August 2021 23:001630273515Video shows roof being torn off home as winds pummel Louisiana

Video footage shows the moment powerful winds from Hurricane Ida tore the roof off a house in Chauvin, Louisiana.

Nathan Place29 August 2021 22:451630272615Satellite footage shows frightening path of storm system

A visual representation using satellite footage shows the frightening progress of Hurricane Ida, complete with flashes of lightning around the storm’s eye. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration posted the animation on Twitter.

Nathan Place29 August 2021 22:301630271952National Weather Service issues flash flood warning for New Orleans

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for New Orleans and its surrounding areas, effective until 10pm tonight.

Nathan Place29 August 2021 22:191630271715Video shows devastation in French Quarter, New Orleans

Shocking video footage shows the damage Hurricane Ida has already done to the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Nathan Place29 August 2021 22:15

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