ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. — People who didn't evacuate ahead of Hurricane Ida's Sunday landfall in St. Tammany Parish had to withstand sustained winds of up to 90 mph and more than 15 inches of rain in some areas, St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said Monday.
"It was a pretty incredible night for residents who stayed," Cooper said.
- Residents reported downed powerlines and rising water as Sunday night
- Damage assessments began at daybreak to open roadways for emergency providers and linemen, who need access to begin planning for power restoration.
- Water pressure dropped enough to prompt a boil water advisory for most residents; boil water for at least a minute
- Curfew still in effect; stay off roadways, they are still dangerous
- Members of the St. Tammany Parish public works, the Louisiana National Guard and others worked alongside municipal level crews to clear debris from roadways Monday morning.
- Many roadways are still flooded
- Highwater rescues conducted by STPSO, Slidell and Mandeville firefighters
- Please use power generators outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning
- Avoid sightseeing
- Please help your neighbors
- Contact Emergency Operation Center with to report damage at 985.898.2323
- 911 services are back operating
- All rivers are expected to crest below crests reported in March of 2016
- Report damage to private property for FEMA tracking at damage@stpgov.org, but report to insurance first.
- Rush to gas stations before Ida depleted all service stations in the area
- Roadways must be cleared so they can be resupplied
- Shelters are open
- First responders and search & rescue teams are deployed
Cleco
- 2,000 contractors mutual assistant teams to assess damage, repair and restore power.
- Crews working on restoring power to critical infrastructures like hospitals
- Slidell Hospital to get power soon
- 2-3 days just to assess the damage
- Plan to restore should ready to report Tuesday
- West of Lacomb sustained 80% of damage so far
- More resources will be sent to that area
- Damage is significant
- Power transmission infrastructure is up an running, issue is distribution
- St. Tammany hospitals are without power, they are a priority
- Avoid powerlines; assume all are live
- Report downed powerlines 1.800.622.6537 or 911
Schools
- St. Tammany Parish Public Schools can't fully assess damage until power is restored
- Once power is restored an assessment can be made for a projection date
Want to help?
- Donate to Northshorefoundation.org or unitedwaysela.org/idarelief