Hurricane Ida is a Category one storm with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour in the southeastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico. It’s expected to strengthen as it moves across the warm waters of the Gulf. The forecast calls for Ida to be a Category Four storm when it hits Terrebonne Parish tomorrow afternoon. National Weather Service Meteorologist Ben Schott says 10 to 15 feet of storm surge is possible from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Morgan City, and surge levels are still dangerous across the entire rest of the state’s coastline.
Cut 13 (09) “…water.”
Damaging winds are a major concern with this storm. St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper says power companies have prepositioned crews….
cut 7 (09) “…period of time”

There’s a major traffic jam on Interstate 10 heading out of New Orleans. Mandatory evacuations have been issued for St. Charles, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. New Orleans has ordered a mandatory evacuation for parts outside of the city’s levee system and a voluntary evacuation for the rest of New Orleans. Governor Edwards says the state is prepared to conduct high water rescues…
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Ochsner Health CEO Warner Thomas says there are no plans to evacuate their hospitals as they have enough generator backup power, food, and water if local water systems are impacted…
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Thomas says they are also treating 836 COVID patients across their system. 88-percent are unvaccinated.