Hurricane Ida’s damage is nothing short of catastrophic, as initial damage assessments come in. Jeff Palermo has more…:

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Lt. Governor Billy Nunngesser says it’s ironic the storm arrived on the anniversary of Katrina in 2005, but he has faith Louisianans will once again show their resilience…:

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Jefferson Parish officials say it’ll take at least 3 full weeks to get 90-percent of power restored. A major transmission tower was knocked over and into the Mississippi River last night. Jefferson Councilman Scott Walker says he’s been in frequent contact with Entergy…:

CUT 09                  (11)        “…a process”

Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller says they are trying to respond to all the 9-1-1 calls coming in, but first responders must be safe from downed trees and power lines. Miller says some calls are from folks stranded in high water from Lake Ponchartrain storm surge…:

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He says the parish is almost completely without power.

Lt Governor Billy Nungesser says the devastation he’s seen so far from Ida is comparable to Katrina, and ironically both storms came ashore on the same date just 16 years apart. Nungesser says it’s going to be a long haul for recovery. Now that winds have died down first responders like the National Guard, Wildlife and Fisheries and others are out making rescues. Nungesser says the main priority today is reaching those who are in peril.

Cut 4 (13) “…first.” 

AT& T reports that Ida has caused major impacts and the wireless network is operating at 60-percent in Louisiana. The cellphone network also says they have significant outages in New Orleans and Baton Rouge due to power outages, flooding, and storm damage.

Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller says they are trying to get emergency crews out to answer 9-1-1 calls that came in last night but before first responders can venture out, they have to get clearance from Entergy due to the number of down powerlines. Miller encourages residents to be mindful as well.

Cut 15 (13) “…energized” 

Coastal parishes of southeast Louisiana are reporting catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ida. Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office Captain Brennan Matherne says he rode out the storm in Galliano and experienced Ida’s wrath for several hours. He says the eye of the storm crossed over the town of Lockport

Cut 6 (09) “…southern area” 

Catastrophic is the word local officials use as initial damage assessments come in from where Hurricane Ida came ashore as a Category Four storm. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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Jefferson Parish officials have told its residents that it will take 21 days for 90-percent of Entergy customers in that parish to receive power. A major transmission tower that feeds electricity to Orleans and Jefferson Parishes was knocked into the river last night.

Lt Governor Billy Nungesser says the devastation he’s seen so far from Ida is comparable to Katrina, and ironically both storms came ashore on the same date just 16 years apart. Nungesser says it’s going to be a long haul for recovery.

Cut 3 (12) “…many areas.” 

Nungesser made the comments this morning on Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster.

Ochsner reports many of their facilities experienced roof damage as a result of Hurricane Ida’s strong winds. Ochsner Health President Warner Thomas says there was so much damage at their hospitals in Houma and Raceland that the patients at those locations have been taken elsewhere

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Jefferson Parish officials have told its residents that it will take 21 days for 90-percent of Entergy customers in that parish to receive power. A major transmission tower that feeds electricity to Orleans and Jefferson Parishes was knocked into the river last night. Jefferson Parish councilman Scott Walker has been in contact with Entergy…

Cut 9 (11) “..be a process” 

Coastal parishes of southeast Louisiana are reporting catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ida. Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office Captain Brennan Matherne says Ida was worst for Lafourche, than hurricanes Betsy, Gustav, and Katrina…

Cut 8 (08) “…power lines come down”

In an effort to restore southeast Louisiana as quickly and efficiently as possible Lt Governor Billy Nungesser suggest they will assemble man camps to keep crews as close to clean up as possible, he says this is a lesson learned from the devastation in Lake Charles after workers had to commute long distances.

Cut 3 (11) “…large area” 

Nungesser made the comments this morning on Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster.

Governor Edwards says there will be 30-thousand linemen in the state to restore the power. He says hospitals, dialysis centers, and buildings that are considered critical will be prioritized first. Edwards says one of his biggest concerns is how many lives will they lose as a result of Ida…

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Those in Southeast Louisiana are waking up to survey damage from a historically powerful Hurricane Ida. It’ll likely take the rest of the day to get a full accounting but already we know coastal communities were devastated, Laplace faced shockingly high levels of flooding, and the New Orleans Metro Area may be without power for three weeks. State Climatologist Barry Keim…

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Ida was blamed for at least one death; In Ascension Parish, a man was hit by a falling tree on Sunday. This morning many roads are impassable in southeast Louisiana and cellphone service is unavailable in some places. Authorities in Jefferson Parish say residents could be without power for 21 days and at least five days without water. All New Orleans lost power shortly after sunset. Entergy Louisiana reports 858-thousand customers are without power.

Coastal parishes of southeast Louisiana are reporting catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ida. Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office Captain Brennan Matherne says the good news is that their levee systems held up to the storm.

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For those looking for a shelter, can call 2-1-1 or text l-a shelter to 898 211. Governor John Bel Edwards says they have sheltered 15-hundred evacuees, but more will be needed, and they have a large space to do so, because of COVID…

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The governor has activated the entire Louisiana National Guard, which means 49-hundred soldiers responding to this disaster

Coastal parishes of southeast Louisiana are reporting catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ida. Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office Captain Brennan Matherne says he rode out the storm in Galliano and experienced Ida’s wrath for several hours. He says the eye of the storm crossed over the town of Lockport…
cut 6 (09) “…southern area”
So far just one confirmed death from Ida. A tree fell on a resident’s home in Ascension Parish killing a man. Governor John Bel Edwards says one of his biggest concerns is how many lives will they lose as a result of Ida…
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Flash flooding is still a threat in southeast Louisiana.

President Joe Biden is pledging a massive federal effort to help southeast Louisiana respond and the President knows the region is in for a long recovery…
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Governor Edwards’ request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration was approved by President Biden. Edwards will not just rely on federal aid. The governor has activated the entire Louisiana National Guard, which means 49-hundred soldiers responding to this disaster
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Edwards Tweeted out this morning that the state has deployed more than 16-hundred personnel to conduct search and rescue across southeast Louisiana. Lower Jefferson Parish and LaPlace are some of the hardest-hit areas.

Hurricane Ida slammed into southeast Louisiana with 150 mile per hour winds causing massive damage to the coastal parishes, the New Orleans and Baton Rouge metro areas and the Northshore. According to Power-outage-dot-us, one million customers are without power in Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
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Governor Edwards says the restoration effort will take some time…
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Ochsner will evacuate patients from hospitals in Houma and Raceland because of roof damage to those facilities.

There are still strong thunderstorms south of New Orleans, which will impede recovery efforts in the coastal parishes. Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner says Hurricane Ida left the area in total devastation and people need to be rescued from their flooded homes. Water rescues will also be needed in the LaPlace area.

The levee system that protects New Orleans withstood Hurricane Ida’s life-threatening storm surge. U-S Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Matt Roe says after Katrina the federal government spent 14.5 billion dollars on a system designed to reduce the damage from powerful hurricanes
Cut 13 (17) “…second line of defense.”
Roe says inside the ring of levees, they have a system of canals and pumps to remove water.

The Saints and LSU football teams evacuated prior to Hurricane Ida’s landfall. The Black and Gold canceled its final preseason game against Arizona and arrived in Dallas to continue preparations for the regular season opener at home against Green Bay on September 12th.

The Fighting Tigers are in Houston and will spend the rest of the week there preparing for Saturday’s season opener against UCLA. The Bayou Bengals will leave for Los Angeles on Thursday.

The Bruins blew out a hapless Hawaii team on Saturday 44 to 10. UCLA held Hawaii to just 26 yards rushing and intercepted two passes. Special teams blocked a punt for a touchdown and Bruins running back Zach Charbonnnet rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns. It was not a great day for UCLA Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The senior from Las Vegas threw for only 130 yards and one touchdown.

U-L Lafayette will not require fans to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive a negative COVID test prior to attending football games this season. The school is recommending that fans wear a mask inside the stadium and self-monitor for symptoms prior to arriving for the game. Socially distant seating will be available for fans in the general admission areas on the east side of the stadium. The Cajuns home opener is September 11th when U-L Lafayette hosts Nicholls. Up first is a game against 21st ranked Texas.

Here’s the rest of the schedule involving Louisiana teams. Louisiana Tech is at Mississippi State. ULM travels to Kentucky. Nicholls is at Memphis, Northwestern State is at North Texas, Southern is at Troy, Grambling is a Tennessee State McNeese hosts West Florida and Southeastern Louisiana is scheduled to host North Alabama.

Hurricane Ida made landfall as a Category Four hurricane near Port Fouchon and now it’s a tropical storm in southwestern Mississippi, but it left a path of destruction across southeast Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says it wasn’t until the center of Ida reached Mississippi that it lost its hurricane status…
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Once the sun comes up, water rescues will take place. There are reports of hundreds of people stranded in lower in Jefferson Parish. In St Charles Parish, families are in their attic in LaPlace to get away from flood waters. There are reports of roofs torn off of Ochsner hospitals in Houma and Raceland and patients there will have to be evacuated to other facilities.

President Joe Biden vows to put the country’s “full might” behind rescue and recovery efforts in southeast Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Ida.

Biden says they’ve pre-positioned a number of federal assets including 2.5 million meals and three million liters of water. He says they have generators in place and are in contact with power companies…
Cut 6 (10) “…weeks.”
The New Orleans region suffered “catastrophic” damage to the power grid, losing a transmission tower and all eight transmission lines serving New Orleans and the east bank of Jefferson Parish.

Entergy spokesperson David Freese says they beefed up personnel before the storm arrived…
cut 17 (11) “…effort”
Governor Edwards says there will be 30-thousand linemen in the state to restore the power.

Hurricane Ida delivered a massive blow to southeast Louisiana with damaging winds, a powerful storm surge, and several inches of rain. Kevin Gallagher has more…
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Over 850-thousand people are without power Monday morning. Entergy spokesperson David Freese says it will take weeks to get the power on for some…
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Hurricane Ida is now a tropical storm in southwestern Mississippi but it left a path of destruction through southeast Louisiana. Many people who decided to ride out the storm are now waiting on help. There are several residents reportedly trapped in LaPlace. Hundreds of people are also stranded in lower in Jefferson Parish as a result of the overtopping of levees.

But the levees that failed during Hurricane Katrina and flooded the city of New Orleans, withstood Ida’s power. Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Matt Roe says 14-point-5 billion dollars were spent to protect the city from a 100-year level of storm surge, which is a surge that has a one percent chance of happening…
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