Hurricane Ida makes landfall in Louisiana, reverses flow of Mississippi River

USA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) informed that Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm on Sunday afteron. 

"Ida made landfall as an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and a minimum central pressure of 930 mb," NHC said in a tweet. Ida upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane hours before making landfall.

Hurricane Ida makes landfall

National Hurricane Center had previously stated that storm was “expected to be an exceptionally major hurricane when it reaches landfall,” adding that “rapid weakening” would most certainly follow.

Hurricane Ida's ermous strength was on show on Sunday as storm rerouted Mississippi River. On Sunday afteron, after Ida made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane that rapidly intensified, river momentarily flowed from south to rth. remarkable "negative flow" of Mississippi River was recorded by a river gauge at Belle Chasse, just souast of New Orleans, according to US Geological Survey.

White House declares emergency

In days preceding Ida's arrival, Mississippi was discharging approximately 350,000 cubic feet (9,910 cubic metres) of water each second. Upstream, water flowed at a rate of 40,000 cubic feet (1,132 cubic metres) per second, according to reports. That is an ermous volume of water to turn around. Ida is projected to bring 16 feet (5 metres) of storm surge inland, with heaviest inundation spanning from petrochemical hub of Port Fourchon to Mississippi River's mouth. river flows change in direction indicates how tremendous surge was.

White House has informed that US President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Mississippi ahead of arrival of Hurricane Ida. A statement released by White House, on Saturday, said, " President's action authorizes Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Manment ncy (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have purpose of alleviating hardship and suffering caused by emergency on local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures."

Residents flee Louisiana

Meanwhile, thousands of people are fleeing Louisiana as Hurricane Ida is predicted to wreak havoc. Ida is w a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds of up to 145 mph. On Saturday, 29 August, heavy traffic was visible on coastal roadways as people sought to avoid storm's course. In rrn Gulf of Mexico, storm was moving rthwest at 15 mph. Ida's arrival comes exactly 16 years after Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana, leaving state in shambles. Heavy rain and high wind gusts are moving towards rrn Gulf Coast as far east as Florida Panhandle.

(With inputs from AP, Im: AP)