Southern Louisiana is preparing for a month without electricity and reliable water supply after Hurricane Ida, one of the most powerful hurricanes that passed through the Persian Gulf coast, according to Reuters. As of yesterday, about 1.3 million households were without electricity, most of them in Louisiana.
The storm claimed the lives of at least four people. The death toll would probably have been much higher had it not been for the system of protective dams built around New Orleans after the city was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago, BTA reports.
Authorities cannot fully assess the damage caused by felled trees and blocked roads.
The situation is complicated by hot weather in some areas of Louisiana and Mississippi, where temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius yesterday. It is estimated that up to 30 days may pass before the full restoration of energy supply.