NEW ORLEANS — Ed. Note: We have moved our live coverage and updates to a new article to prevent loading issues. To get the latest updates and to watch our live coverage of Hurricane Ida's aftermath, click here:
We're going to be updating Hurricane Ida recovery information all day on WWL-TV. We have crews headed out to all areas affected by the storm. However, there is still limited ability to transmit live out of the hardest-hit areas due to a lack of cell towers. We will have information from all of those areas though.
Bookmark this page and check back often for the latest info.
IDA LATEST UPDATES
10:30 PM
One hundred of the nursing home residents evacuated from a crowded warehouse have arrived at LSU's field house for shelter and medical care.
9:15 PM
Fire burned six homes to the ground in flooded Barataria Wendesday night. Firefighters couldn't quickly respond because parts of Barataria can't be accessed by vehicle, forcing them to get there by boat, according to Councilman Ricky Templet
Vehicles can't get to the area where the homes burned down, stopping firefighters from extinguishing the fires.
9:10 PM
Councilmember Banks and Dryades YMCA Partner to Hold Tarp and Water Distribution
- Who: Councilmember Banks, Dryades YMCA
- What: Free emergency water and tarp distribution
- When: Friday, September 3 from 11 AM to 1 PM or while supplies last
- Where: Dryades YMCA, 2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70113
9:00 PM
Hammond- The Tangipahoa Water District has issued a boil water advisory for two of their service areas.
The impacted areas include:
- West of I-55 from LA 40 south;
- Club Deluxe and Veterans Boulevard from I-12 to LA 22.
District officials report that all water wells are up and operational. They are responding to reports of possible water leaks which may be impacting water pressure in isolated areas. Officials said water pressure is “at or near normal” throughout most of their service area.
Residents in the advisory area are asked to boil any water they plan to use for at least three minutes. This includes water for drinking, diluting fruit juices, food preparation, and even brushing teeth.
For more information, consult the Tangipahoa Water District’s website, TangiWater.com, or call (985) 345-6457. You can also sign up for email or text alerts.
8:30 PM
NOLA-PS Provides Update to School Assessments: Minimal Damage Found; Power Critical to Reopening Schools
- The buildings, many of which were rebuilt or buttressed during the $2 billion federally funded school rebuilding effort after Hurricane Katrina, sustained minimal to no damage due to Hurricane Ida.
- The reopening of schools is directly dependent on the restoration of power, which began in New Orleans East and the French Quarter this week.
- The assessment of the remaining school buildings and NOLA-PS facilities will continue through Friday. NOLA-PS continues to be in constant communication with school leaders on how best to serve their schools’ needs and the needs of their families.
- NOLA-PS is working to establish a headquarters for coordinating the reopening efforts. Meanwhile, our operations team continues to assist its school networks in assessing the condition of all school buildings.
7:30 PM
Jefferson Parish gives update on Hurricane Ida recovery efforts:
- Water distribution on Estalote street in Harvey at the community center and at Woodmere gym.
- Life center church will provide food Friday at 12 pm and 6 pm on Ames boulevard.
- Will provide food and water for people on the Eastbank in the Jesse Owen area and in Bunch Village off of the Airline highway Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
6:30 PM
Hurricane Ida death toll rises to 9. The storm-related deaths include:
- 3 individuals died of carbon monoxide poisoning in Jefferson Parish. No additional information about the victims is available at this time.
- A 65-year-old female that drowned in floodwaters in Jefferson Parish.
- 3 deaths of nursing home residents related to the facility under investigation in Tangipahoa Parish. Those included a 59-year-old female from Jefferson Parish, a 52-year-old male from Orleans Parish, and a 77-year-old male from Terrebonne Parish.
- 2 deaths previously confirmed by LDH: A 60-year-old Ascension Parish male who died after a tree fell on a house and an Orleans Parish male, age unknown, who drowned after driving through floodwater.
5:30 PM
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon Offers Tips on Hurricane Ida Recovery:
- Contact your insurance agent or company as soon as possible.
- Minimize your losses and document the damage.
- Remember that flooding is generally not covered under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies
- Keep your receipts
- Ask for identification from any agents, adjusters or contractors.
5:05 PM
Xavier University to resume classes September 7
5:00 PM
Tulane University President Fitts made a statement on Hurricane Ida:
4:30 PM
Grand Isle is continuing to work to clear roads and will be moving to the next phase which is recovery. Homeowners will be allowed for the next two days, September 3-4, to go in and assess the damage to their property, grab belongings and secure as much of their property as they can. Homeowners are asked not to start renovations.
The island is still without gas and water wich makes the island not appropriate to stay there.
- RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS ONLY.
- Must have proof of residency or ownership.
- Each property is limited to one vehicle.
- Please carpool as much as possible.
- NO TRAILERS. NO GOLF CARTS or UTVs.
- Curfew for the island is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Supplies will NOT be provided on the island. Come prepared.
- We have limited EMS capabilities, and 911 services are limited.
- Bring a spare tire because there's still a lot of debris on the road
- Bring your own food and water.
4:05 PM
Flight update:
Delta Airlines resumes New Orleans flight operations to provide critical passenger, cargo transport following Ida
4:00 PM
Road Closure: POSTPONED
3:55 PM
New Orleans Fire Department has received 205 calls over the past two days
3:50 PM
LA 44 at the Cargill Grain Elevator (between W. 19th Street and W. 23rd Street) is closed due to a conveyor collapse at that location. We expect the road will remain closed for 4 to 5 days and we will update this notice as conditions change.
3:40 PM
Senator John Kennedy announces supply distribution in Terrebonne Parish
3:30 PM
Free cases of water are available September 3 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at:
- Covington- Academy Sports and Outdoors 7205 Pinnacle Pkwy Covington, LA 70433
- Slidell- Academy Sports + Outdoors 61107 Airport Rd Slidell, LA 70460
3:25 PM
2:45 PM Here are the 7 nursing homes that were evacuated to a large warehouse in advance of Hurricane Ida. Four residents have died and the rest are being taken to hospitals after the Louisiana Department of Health responded to complaints and initially were not let inside.
- River Palms Nursing and Rehab in Orleans Parish
- South Lafourche Nursing and Rehab in Lafourche Parish
- Maison Orleans Healthcare Center in Orleans Parish
- Park Place Healthcare Nursing Home in Jefferson Parish
- West Jefferson Health Care Center in Jefferson Parish
- Maison DeVille Nursing Home in Terrebonne Parish
- Maison DeVille Nursing Home of Harvey in Jefferson Parish.
2:30 PM Stunning investigative story - 4 people have died after 800 residents from four different nursing homes were evacuated prior to the storm to a large warehouse on the northshore. Here's the story (will have more updates soon)
1:48 PM Karen Swensen reports 3 more carbon monoxide deaths. This time on the west bank. A 17-year-old, 24-year-old and an older adult. A portable generator was on site.
1:45 PM Ice being given out at the Esplanade Mall at 5:30 pm Thursday
1:37 PM Hancock and Whitney Bank giving out food - jambalaya, chips and water in downtown Houma.
1:30 PM Where to get a meal, water or ice today parish-by-parish.
1:11 PM Free mental health help by phone
Louisiana Healthcare Connections established a 24-hour, toll free crisis hotline for individuals affected by Hurricane Ida. If you were impacted by the hurricane and would like to speak to a licensed clinician, please call 1-866-595-8133 and follow the first prompt.
This line is staffed by licensed mental health professionals who provide counseling as well as referrals to other local resources. This service is free to the public; you do not have to be a member of Louisiana Healthcare Connections to call.
1:05 PM Wanna stay cool? Sal's Snow Balls on Metairie Road will be open TODAY from 1 pm to 6 pm, serving snowballs only.
12:55 PM Reminder
12:35 PM
Entergy says 30,000 customers have been restored in New Orleans, and a second power generation station has been brought back online to the west of the city.
That means that lights will begin coming on from both the eastern and western edges of the city, radiating inward from there as lines are fixed.
12:30 PM
Mayor LaToya Cantrell says the fuel situation for the public in the city remains dire, with long lines and low supply.
Cantrell says she is trying to secure a steady supply of gas, but had nothing to announce Thursday on that front.
12:15 PM
Cleco says they have restored power to about 30,000 of the 97,000 customers in St. Tammany Parish who lost power in Hurricane Ida.
Noon
Tangipahoa Parish residents who want to evacuate their homes to a shelter can now do so if they have transportation to get to Baton Rouge.
Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller says the Baton Rouge River Center has been set up as a regional evacuation center.
“This shelter will offer much more than our existing sites can offer,” Miller said.
The River Center has electricity and as a result, air conditioning. Residents will be able to get hot meals and get rides to the pharmacy if they need prescription refills.
Anybody who want to go there must do so in personal vehicles. There will be no public transportation services to the evacuation center.
For those residents who choose to evacuate, Miller recommended they bring all necessary medicines, basic toiletries, and a change of clothes. They may want to bring a copy of any important papers with them as well.
For more information, dial 211 from any cell phone or text LA Shelter to 898211.
11:20 AM
President Biden said he has received reports of insurance agencies denying claims for temporary housing from residents of parishes that were under mandatory evacuation orders such as Orleans Parish.
He called on insurance companies to honor the spirit of their agreements with homeowners and renters, and provide the money for people to continue staying out of the storm-ravaged state.
"Nobody fled this killer storm because they were looking for a vacation.... they left their homes because they felt it was flee or risk death," Biden said. "There's nothing voluntary about that."
11:15 AM
President Joe Biden says he has authorized federal agencies, such as the FAA, to use drone and satellite imagery to assist Entergy in assessing the damage from Hurricane Ida.
"We're all in this together. The nation is here to help," Biden said. "I've directed the ... FAA to use surveillance drones to assess ida's damage to energy infrastructure."
He says he has spoken with cell providers such as AT&T and Verizon to activate roaming cell service for customers in Southeast Louisiana, meaning if somebody's cell phone carrier isn't operational but another provider is, residents can still get a call out using another provider.
11 AM
Rouses Markets on Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans will provide free ice today. The ice can be picked up today, Thursday, Sept. 2, starting at 11 a.m., while supplies last. Limit 1 per family.
10:35 AM
St. Tammany Parish School District reports 13 out of 55 schools with power Thursday.
They say the earliest possible reopening date for schools is Sept. 13, but that date is extremely tentative and subject to change based on the timing of power restoration.
10:25 AM
Residents in Jefferson Parish who need oxygen can pick up one tank per day from the following locations:
Fire Station 20 - 4110 Hudson St. in Metairie
Fire Station 81 – 808 MacArthur Ave. in Harvey
Due to limited supply, each person will only be given 1 tank per day
There is also oxygen at PARD playground for those that are being transported out of the area.
10:05 AM
St. Charles Parish President Matthew Jewell says communication systems are beginning to see improvement after Hurricane Ida.
Water pressure is also seeing a return, with pressure returning to most of the system. Jewell said some areas may need to be valved off and shut down temporarily so crews can repair leaks caused by Hurricane Ida that they discover in the coming days.
However, other essential resources are still hard to come by in the parish.
Some gas stations in the parish have opened, but long lines are expected at all of them. He said gas station owners tell him there is more fuel on the way, which will help power generators for the multitude of people without power.
9:40 AM
Magazine Animal Clinic is open for animal-related emergency services from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
They are hearing lots of people calling 911 with animals having heat stroke.
The clinic is located at 3458 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
9:30 AM
Shell says we can expect to see more flare ups from the Shell Norco plant because it is without power.
Plant officials say the site is safe and secure despite the fiery appearance.
9:20 AM
The St. John Parish Sheriff's Office says they have arrested three looting arrests. Deputies have also responded to a number of fights at gas stations throughout the parish.
9:15 AM
Another victim of generator-related carbon monoxide poisoning has died in St. John Parish.
If you are operating a generator for your home, make sure it is outside and is away from any access points into the house, including air conditioning units, doors, windows and vents.
9:05 AM
St. John Parish officials are giving the latest details about post-Hurricane Ida recovery efforts.
Parish President Hotard says the parish is still struggling with communication after Hurricane Ida.
"We're still struggling through those challenges," she said. "The backups failed and the backups to the backups failed."
Water and electrical systems throughout the parish are also struggling. In some places, a trickle of water was restored, but was lost soon after.
"We may continue to lose water, in and out," Hotard said.
She said every piece of critical electrical infrastructure in the parish was damaged or destroyed in the storm.
9 AM
Terrebonne Parish officials will distribute resources including tarps, water and MRES at noon today. Distribution will continue until 5 p.m.
Here are the distribution centers:
- In front of Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center (Ice Available)
- Montegut gym ( Ice available)
- In front of South Terrebonne High School (Ice Available)
- Teche Action Clinic on Grand Caillou Rd (Ashland)
- Ward 7 Citizens Center (Chauvin)
- Dulac Central Fire Station
- Bayou Blue Central Fire Station (Not Operational Today)
Starting Friday, distribution will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
8:15 AM
Anybody who needs supplies in St. Charles Parish or Lafourche can go to the Life Fellowship Community Church in Des Allemands for tarps, water, MREs and hygene items.
The church is located at 2671 Highway 306 Des Allemands, LA.
8 AM
Sheriff Marlin Gusman says there have been about 40 arrests for looting in New Orleans after Hurricane Ida.
It's the most concrete number of looting arrests released since the storm, because NOPD Chief Shaun Ferguson has refused to give an exact number, saying it would create a "false narrative" about the city's ability to arrest looters.
Listen to his full answer here:
7:40 AM
New power lines are being stretched across I-10. The grid is slowly coming online thanks to a record number of linemen working in Southeast Louisiana.
Gov. John Bel Edwards says there are more linemen in the state right now than any other time in history. So if you see one (and you hopefully will soon), give them a wave and thank them.
7:35 AM
St. John Parish officials say water repairs are continuing, but that the parish is still under a boil water advisory.
If you're using the water for drinking, cooking or brushing teeth then it needs to be boiled.
If you're using it for cleaning or bathing, no need to boil it.
7:30 AM
The National Guard and GOSHEP have established a resource distribution site at the West Bank Bridge Park. The site will open at 8 a.m. today. Ice, water and MREs will be provided.
Residents should turn onto River Road from I-310 and will be directed to the location. Do NOT use the levee to access the distribution site.
7:15 AM
Hurricane Ida's devastation condinues on the East Coast, where nine people have been confirmed killed in the New York and New Jersey areas because of heavy flooding there.
Ida — really the remaints of ida, which weakened from a hurricane to less than a tropical depression over land after it passed through Louisiana — is hitting the coast with inches of rain per hour.
Dramatic video from the NYC Subway system shows water pouring into terminals in a wave, sweeping through the iconic tunnels of the city's main public transportation system.
6:45 AM
Entergy New Orleans says they've brought some power online to parts of Uptown, Midtown, the CBD, additional neighborhoods in the East and the Carrollton area.
They are expected to release a timeline for power restoration later today.
6:40 AM
All Entergy customers in Baton Rouge who can accept power will have it back by next Wednesday (Sept. 8).
If distribution lines are still impacted, power may not be immediately restored.
6:15 AM
Another Hurricane Ida-related death has been reported out of St. James Parish.
The St. James Parish Sheriff's office reports that they responded to a call in the South Vacherie area after family members told them they were concerned about a relative in the area.
A man was found dead at the location, and preliminary reports indicate he likely died during the hurricane.
Sheriff's officials also said they responded to a carbon monoxide poisoning of three people in Paulina. A home generator under a window was reportedly to blame.
All generators should be placed at least 15 feet from all windows, air conditioning units, vents and doors.
6 AM
Limited trash collection will begin in Jefferson and Orleans parishes today. This is for regular trash, not debris from Hurricane Ida. That debris will be picked up at a later date.
Jefferson Parish officials say debris cleanup won't begin until next week at the earliest.
5:50 AM
Almost all airlines have canceled flights out of MSY for today. Delta is reportedly conducting limited operations in the afternoon, but it's unclear exactly how many flights will be operating.
Check with the airline directly before heading to the airport.
5:40 AM
The Blue Roof program is operational in Lousiana, providing tarps for free to residents with storm damage.
If your roof is gone or damaged, you can go to blueroof.us or call 888-roof-blu to apply.
Anybody in the storm's path is eligible, but not everybody will qualify.
"If your roof is gone but so is the rest of your house, then you will not qualify," Gov. John Bel Edwards said.
5:25 AM
As some power comes back to New Orleans and businesses assess the damage to their establishments, there are a number of places open to customers.
We're using the hashtag #OpenNOLA to track what places are open. For a full list of who we've heard about, click here:
RELATED: #OpenNOLA: Here's what's open
5 AM
Entergy is expected to give an update today that includes estimated restoration times for many customers.
Millions have been left in the dark amid sweltering heat and humidity across Southeast Louisiana as a record number of linemen work to assess damage to the region's electrical grid and begin fixing transmission lines.
Some areas in New Orleans have already received power because they are the first stops along the lines of power distribution that will hopefully power all the homes in the region soon.
The French Quarter and some parts of New Orleans East have already had their lights turned on.
4:25 AM Here is Thursday morning's Entergy outage map.
Entergy has now switched their map's default view to "area view," which doesn't offer a street-by-street look at what places have power.
This was likely done because of reporting yesterday about power possibly coming on in the Treme and Mid-City because Entergy was showing them lit up.
However, the inaccurate map led to disappointment for many hoping to have electricity in their neighborhood again.
"Area view is best used when damage assessment is still in progress following large outage events such as storms," Entergy's popup message reads when the outage map is opened. "Until crews are able to access damaged areas and complete assessment, area view provides the most reliable and informative information available at that time."
WEDNESDAY, SEPT 1
9:45 PM St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis celebrates lights starting to come on in 'Da Parish.
9 PM Power restored on Rampart St. and parts of French Quarter, part of Orleans CBD, Part of St. Bernard Parish. Also power restored in several areas of St. Tammany