Hurricane Ida’s damage leaves a long road to recovery ahead

Ida made landfall at Port Fourchon on Sunday, August 29 as a category 4 storm with sustained windspeeds of 150 miles per hour. During it’s ravenous trek, it left over a million without power and at least 4 dead.

The City of New Orleans have just begun to clean up from the storm’s aftermath, with thousands facing weeks without the hope of having power restored. Much of Louisiana are experiencing the same timeline as damage across the state is still being assessed.

“I can’t tell you when the power is going to be restored,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday. “But what I can tell you is we are going to work hard every day to deliver as much assistance as we can.”

Edwards has urged residents who evacuated to not return as many businesses and schools are expected to remain without power.

The Louisiana State Police has urged residents that are returning to the area to be mindful of downed power lines and trees in the roadway.

In Mississippi, Ida left over 130,000 residents without power. Two lives were lost and at least 10 people were injured following the collapse of a highway in George County.

.@MississippiDOT and @MissDPS are working roadways throughout the state this morning. Please be cautious as that much rain/water/wind can cause unpredictable damage.

Crews are also in George county on Hwy 26 where major washout/road damage occurred. Prayers for all involved!!

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) August 31, 2021

Current reports are 2 fatalities and 10 injuries as a result of the accidents that occurred on Hwy 26 in George County overnight. Please join Elee and me and pray for the families. May God watch over them during this difficult time.

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) August 31, 2021

Late Monday night, Highway 26 washed away causing a pileup of vehicles into a ravine where the roadway once existed, resulting in two fatalities.

The section of Highway 26 between Highway 57 and 63 is closed until further notice. Traffic through this area is being rerouted through Highway 57 to Highway 98 or through Wade-Vancleave and Highway 63.

While Vicksburg dodged the proverbial bullet with Ida shifting to the east, many of our neighbors have a long road of rebuilding ahead. Vicksburg Daily News will follow the cleanup and service restoration efforts.