The Hurricane Ida Aftermath Story and our Earth’s Cry for Solutions

Photo+Courtesy+of+CNN

Photo Courtesy of CNN

Cam DiMarco

The tragic story of this monster category 4 hurricane where about 800 people were rescued Northwest of New Orleans because a 5 foot surge of water flooded the whole area. At the onset of the storm, Louisiana reported at least two storm-related deaths, “but the death toll [was] expected to go up” said gov. John Bel Edwards. 

  • “We have got to fundamentally change the way in which we are thinking about protecting those areas, particularly the Grand Isle,” said Chip Kline, Executive Assistant to the Governor for coastal activities.  He added that “sand dunes on the gulf side of the island and segmented breakwaters are not going to cut it.” 

 

  • It’s going to be years before Louisiana is back in tip top shape because of how much water flooded all the homes and left people struggling to get to safety. This monster storm extended up into New York where people were drowning in their cars. Later into the storm surge, Louisiana began reporting an increase in deaths to 24. Storm related flooding has become an all too familiar story for weekly news reports and is the red-flag warning to the devastating effects of global warming. 

Ida is yet another glaring message from our Mother Earth that we need to put our collective heads together and come up with real solutions to global warming.  In line with that thinking, Kline said “we’re going to be working with the Corps Of Engineers and our congressional delegation to look at new strategies on how we can provide better protection, more resilient protection, and strengthen structures around Grand Isle and Lafitte.”

Hurricane Ida hit land on August 29th, 2021 in the southwest from the Grand Isle in Louisiana.  She sustained winds up to 150 mph and went for a 50 mile stretch.  Bryan Adams, the director of Jefferson parish fire services, stated that 40-50% of the houses that were in Grand isle were destroyed and the camps were demolished. “I’ve never seen it look like this, it’s decimated.” Adams said after looking over the island.   

Photo Courtesy of Michael Stokes

Not only did Ida ravage Louisiana but her devastation reached up most of the East coast in the form of a tropical storm.  Unprecedented flood waters and tornadoes engulfed New Orleans, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  The monster storm killed an additional 48 people.  Ida did not discriminate with her victims – ranging from a toddler to a New York city on-duty police officer.  According to one New York City fire department Instagram account, “we had everything from people trapped on their roofs, people trapped in completely submerged cars, trapped in basements with the doors stuck and water rapidly rising, and with heavy currents of water everywhere, our units did a tremendous job.”

From the Governor’s office in Louisiana to New York’s senate office, politicians are beginning to strongly appeal for smart global warming legislation.  Senator Chuck Schumer stated “When you get two record rainfalls in a week, it’s not just coincidence…global warming is upon us and it’s going to get worse and worse and worse unless we do something about it, and that’s why it’s so important to pass … the infrastructure bill and the budget reconciliation bill”.  It takes just one voice to start the wave of change needed to answer Earth’s cry for solutions.

Sources:

Burdryk, Zack. “Schumer Calls for Action on Climate after Ida Flooding.” The Hill, Nexstar Media Inc., 9/2/21, https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/570570-schumer-calls-for-action-on-climate-after-ida-flooding.

Diaz, Jaclyn. “The East Coast Begins To Clean Up After Historic Storm Ida Kills 48 People.” NPR, NPR, 9/3/21, https://www.npr.org/2021/09/03/1033908663/updates-northeast-ida-flooding.

Elamroussi , Aya, and Rebekah Rless. “Louisiana Areas Hardest-Hit by Hurricane Ida Need a Fundamental Change in How They’re Protected, Official Says.” CNN, Cable News Network, 9/10/21, https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/10/us/hurricane-ida-aftermath-louisiana-friday/index.html