On August 26th, 2021, Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana as a category four hurricane causing devastating damage that is still being cleaned up today. Ida was the second-most damaging hurricane to hit Louisiana, runner up to Hurricane Katrina. Not only did Hurricane Ida bring disastrous damage to Louisiana and the south, but it also brought heavy rains up to the east coast and other northern states. 

Hurricane Ida first hit New Orleans and the southeast parts of Louisiana on August 26th, almost exactly 16 years after Hurricane Katrina hit. It started by killing many people’s power, leaving Louisianians without air conditioning and other essential amenities. AP News reports that the loss of power made New Orleans more susceptible to flooding, which is exactly what happened. The coast and city of New Orleans flooded and continued to be without power. BBC News claims that an estimated 90% of homes faced damage from the floods. Cities were either left completely immersed in water or covered in waste tossed around by the hurricane. 

Throughout the 27th to 29th of August, the storm started to rapidly escalate. It went from a category one to category four almost overnight, with winds  getting as high as 150 MPH. As Hurricane Ida moved through Louisiana and into Mississippi, it weakened, going from a tropical storm, to tropical depression, to a post tropical remnant. The storm moved all throughout the east coast, touching  Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut. Heavy rainfalls hit all of these states, causing even more flooding and destruction. Records for rainfall and floods were set, as Hurricane Ida left its mark on states all across America. 

Although Hurricane Ida hit almost two months ago, areas damaged are still recovering. The destruction left in the first few days of the storm is still visible today. ABC News explains that many people have left and are staying far from the area affected until the damage from the storm is repaired. The residents that have braved the deviations from the storm haven’t been very successful with their findings. Most people’s homes were greatly damaged and their belongings flung everywhere. Louisiana doesn’t have enough supplies to pick up after the storm, leaving many people with extreme loss. Michael Williamson, the head of the United Way of Southeast Louisiana, explains that the process to pick up Ida will be long and tedious. It will look different for everybody, but the flooding and damage could take years to  clean up. 

Hurricane Ida has left an enormous impact on Louisiana and the east coast. After Hurricane Katrina hit almost 16 years prior, Ida decided to do it all again and leave over 1 million people without power. The damage that it has left will be a long and arduous process to clean. Hurricane Ida left a memorable mark on the United States and all that faced it’s wrath.