U.S Gulf Coast Residents Evacuate Ahead of Hurricane Ida

Thousands of people are fleeing the coastal areas in the Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Ida intensifies. President Joe Biden has recently announced that he will provide relief and support to help states affected by the Hurricane.

According to forecasters, Hurricane Ida will most likely make landfall on Sunday night, ranked as a category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Heavy rainfall, tidal surge, and strong winds of 140 miles per hour are to be expected. This could lead to coastal flooding where Louisiana’s shoreline could be under several feet of water.

Last Saturday evening, the hurricane was gaining speed with winds of 105 miles per hour, heading straight for the Louisiana coast from the mouth of the Mississippi River. It is expected that the water surge and hurricane winds will cause flooding of around 10 and 15 feet, close to the mouth of the river and along the coastlines of Alabama.

Evacuations across low-lying coastlines in the area have been ordered. This has led to highways being jammed and a widespread shortage of fuel at gas stations.

500 federal emergency workers have been stationed to respond to the storm, as more power outages are expected to increase in the region. Hurricane Ida’s winds are expected to increase and spread over a 300-mile area. Aid workers are also working closely with electric utilities to restore power.

Gasoline operations facilities that lie in the path of the storm have been shut down temporarily. Exxon Mobil Corporation has cut down its production to 50% at the Louisiana refinery till the storm passes. On the other hand, the demand for gasoline has gone up by 70% in recent days due to the impending storm. Ida will be the 4th hurricane to hit the state this year and is expected to exceed the strength of hurricane Laura.