Louisiana, a state in the southeastern United States, is preparing, Saturday, August 28, to face Hurricane Ida, as the 16e anniversary of one of the most severe weather episodes in the region: Katrina.
Ida could become “A major hurricane” and “Extremely dangerous”, while it is estimated that it should make landfall again late Sunday afternoon. It could then reach category 4 (on a scale that has 5), and cause winds of more than 200 km / h on American soil, according to the American Hurricane Center (NHC).
“The residents of Louisiana have until nightfall to prepare for Hurricane Ida”Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards recommended on Saturday, warning against “Serious consequences throughout the state”. Winds equivalent to those of a tropical storm, between 60 and 120 km / h, will blow on the Louisiana coast from Saturday evening, warned the National Weather Service (NWS), which urges residents wishing to evacuate to do so. ” as soon as possible “.
“I urge the inhabitants of the region to be careful and to prepare”President Joe Biden said in a televised address on Saturday afternoon, announcing the dispatch of hundreds of emergency response specialists and the establishment of water, food and electric generators in anticipation of the cyclone.
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More than 10,000 people evacuated in Cuba
Before, the storm passed in western Cuba causing only minor damage, where “Ida will continue to bring periods of heavy rain” on the day of Saturday, “Which could cause flash floods and mudslides”, warned the NHC. The then Category 1 hurricane made landfall in Pinar del Rio province in western Cuba on Friday evening with heavy rains and sustained winds of 130 km / h, said the Cuban Meteorological Institute (Insmet).
More than 10,000 people were evacuated and electricity was cut off preventively, in this region which has become the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic on the island. In the capital, Havana, near this province, public transport was suspended as a precaution at midday, and thousands of people had been evacuated.
The hurricane is moving northwest at a speed of 24 km / h. It had previously passed through the Isle of Youth, south of the main island of Cuba, but the winds and rains it brought about caused only minor damage to agriculture and to homes including the roof was torn off.
“Extreme challenge”
On Sunday, the coasts of Louisiana and neighboring Mississippi could, in turn, suffer “Potentially fatal rising sea level floods”, warns the NHC, “With potentially catastrophic damage caused by the wind”, where Ida will sink into the land.
Joe Biden on Friday approved a declaration of a state of emergency for Louisiana to bring a “Federal assistant” preparation efforts, voluntary and mandatory evacuation orders having been issued in some places. “The president will closely monitor this situation and will be kept informed of developments during the weekend”White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
“It is an extreme challenge for our State”, worried John Bel Edwards, while his State is currently facing a new outbreak of Covid-19, which is undermining the functioning of hospitals.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell admitted it was too late to carry out evacuations: “We are not calling for a mandatory evacuation because time is not on our side. We don’t want people to be on the road, and therefore in greater danger ”, she said at a press conference. “The situation is much more serious than six hours ago”, she said, anticipating potential damage.
More than 1,800 dead in 2005
Louisiana is frequently affected by hurricanes and has yet to fully heal the wounds inflicted by the trauma of 2005, when Katrina ravaged Louisiana, killing more than 1,800. During this traumatic episode, New Orleans was 80% flooded after the dikes protecting the city had given way.
It is the warming of the ocean surface that makes hurricanes more powerful, scientists say. In particular, they pose an increasingly significant risk to coastal communities that are victims of wave-submersion phenomena amplified by the rise in ocean levels.
Last week, Tropical Storm Henri, accompanied by considerable precipitation, hit the northeastern United States, a rare occurrence for this region where thousands of people were left without electricity.
