Just thought I'd report what we've heard by text and phone before, during, and after Hurricane Ida from family and friends there.
First of all, everyone is OK... power is out for everyone pretty much unless you have a generator.
And the levees held! (so far anyway... not sure the danger is past, but officials seem confident)
Lots of down trees and powerlines... debris everywhere. Some flooding in Lakeview (my old and stomping grounds - but our house went with Katrina) and other areas.
I listened to New Orleans City Officials talk on WWL News.
They're asking people to stay in their homes until the streets can be cleared and service vehicles can get to where needed.
They're also asking people who evacuated to stay away for the time being as 911 services are down and hospitals are already full with Covid patients.
Oxygen tank swaps could be done at Fire Stations.
Since 911 was down, go to Fire Stations or flag down police if needed.
Check on your neighbors.
And they gave some websites that might be needed.
One was damage.la.gov - for any pics you might want to send to help the city see damaged areas.
Another was ready.nola.gov - for helping N.O. restore itself.
I tried to keep in touch with family during the storm by text. But after the power went out, I knew they had to conserve the battery on their phones.
The news we were watching reported that the roof blew off Metairie Towers, a condo building where a dear friend of mine lives. This scared me as we had been texting earlier and I couldn't get any response for a few hours. Finally she texted me that she was OK.
Cousins in N.O. and Slidell are OK... power down, some flooding, but OK. I will check to see if others check in on Facebook.
DH's family in Baton Rouge have lost power, but have a generator.
Haven't heard from family in Madisonville. Madisonville and Mandeville had flooding due to Hurricane Ida pushing Lake Pontchartrain north onto their shores.
Anyway, just sharing what I know at the moment... and we continue to watch WWL New Orleans news to stay updated.
I imagine with the power out, people are going to get hot in their homes pretty quick. That's another worry. New Orleans is known for it's heat and humidity...
Hope this isn't TMI... may not be of interest to all, but it's been a nerve wracking 24 hours here.
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
*If you have more info and want to share, please do...*
This has been of concern to us all but you had a lot of family and friends in the path. So glad you have heard from most and they are OK. I know when I lived in Florida often the worst part was the week or so after in the heat with no power or water. Prayers for all concerned.
ReplyDeleteYes, the heat with no power can be dangerous... and water can be an issue too. But help is on it's way from so many sources that hopefully all will be taken care of.
DeleteThis wasn't TMI, after the news I came to your site to see if you had more to share and you did. Like Patti said, very glad your news wasn't worse, Rian. And that is great about the levees, at least.
ReplyDeleteIt is great about the levees. I was really worried about them. The lack of power will be the problem now...(and the heat) but it could have been a lot worse.
DeleteI've seen a bit of coverage on the news here north of the 49th, but not a lot. I'm glad your family and friends are okay and hope that utility crews will be able to restore power sooner than expected (I've heard up to a month in some area, not good).
ReplyDeleteYes, I too hope they can restore power sooner than later.
DeleteI can only imagine the worry about family and friends during the storm and after. I'm happy to hear you've heard that all have made it through the storm. I saw a news article that said it could be weeks before power is restored in all areas. Hopefully there are enough places for people to go to if the heat and humidity (and lack of drinking water) is too bad.
ReplyDeleteNot TMI in my mind - the news we see doesn't provide a lot of detail.
Yes, I'm thinking that perhaps enough areas with generators will open up to those who have no power - to escape the heat.
DeleteWe had power outage for 6 days with Hurricane Harvey, so I know what the heat & humidity is like (I used a wet,cold, towel 24/7)
ReplyDeleteThank goodness all family and friends made it thru the storm unharmed. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UPDATE!!
Thanks, Anni. I can't imagine 6 days without power in the south... (let alone a few weeks) especially since so many family members/friends are elderly. I did hear that some areas would be up in the next 10 days. Hope that happens.
DeleteThanks for the update. I think all things considered, it was a success. It must be terrible to be without a/c in that heat, though. And no, it was not TMI. Just right, in fact.
ReplyDeleteThe heat and humidity can be a bit much... especially for older folks. I loved it when I was young. Found it relaxing. Not as sure I would do as well now.
DeleteHope all is well with everyone. Ida was here all day, and is finally leaving ... and no, i didn't offer her coffee, or cookies. Maybe she finally got the hint. But seriously, if anyone needs repair work, hope that comes soon. Take care, everyone.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue! Thanks for visiting. If you're one of those out of power, I hope you either have a generator or get some power soon. It's hot here and I know it's hot there. Take Care.
Deletei don't have any other information, it sure is heart wrenching to see all of the damage. we had some pretty bad storms here in new jersey overnight but all of that was well north of here!!
ReplyDeletei could not live without a/c, i would have to live in my car!!
Hi Debbie, I can't believe that the NE had that most damage and loss of life from Ida. I thought it would have dropped down to just a tropical storm by the time it got there... but tornadoes and so much rain. Unbelievable!
DeleteI hope any further news you receive is the best case scenario. The whole extreme weather situation is beyond catastrophic everywhere now it seems.
ReplyDeleteSo far power is still out in most places... although I heard that some was back on in areas in New Orleans. And yes, extreme weather seems to be the norm these days.
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