On Sunday — the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina — Hurricane Ida made landfall on New Orleans.
2. Before making landfall, the National Hurricane Center warned of a storm surge — an abnormally high water rise — that could reach 10 to 15 feet above ground level.
3. To help prevent flood damage, sandbags were placed in Montegut, Louisiana.
4. As the storm picked up, winds reached a speed of 150 mph and blew off the roof of a building in the famed French Quarter.
5. And utility workers fought against the wind's strength as they waited for the storm to pass before continuing repairs.
6. The area began to flood, covering neighborhoods and their streets with water.
7. A video taken in Grand Isle, Louisiana illustrates the power of both the winds and rushing water as the storm ripped its way inside a home.
Near the point of Ida’s landfall late this morning at Grand Isle LA… video from Christie Angelette
8. Residents abandoned cars in the street. One was half submerged in a ditch next to the highway:
9. The former Karnofsky Store where jazz musician Louis Armstrong got his start collapsed as Ida battered New Orleans.
This is why I took before photos. Building got wiped out by #Ida #NOLA
10. Here's what the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, looked like before:
And here's what it looked like mid-storm:
11. As a result of Ida's intensity, all eight of the transmission lines that power New Orleans were out of service, leaving much of the city dark and dependent on generators.
12. Hundreds of thousands of residents expect to be without power for the next few days until it can be restored to the city.
13. In the aftermath of the storm, residents across Louisiana inspected the damage left by Ida.
14. Now, the cleanup process begins.
15. About 4,900 members of the Louisiana National Guard have set out to assess the damage and aid in search efforts.
16. Firefighters, police officers, volunteers, helicopters...
17. ...and residents alike are helping restore the city.
