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Updated Aug 31, 2021 - Science

Crews move to rescue people stranded by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana

Axios
People react as a sudden rain shower soaks them with water while riding out of a flooded neighborhood of LaPlace, La.
People caught in a sudden rain shower in a flooded neighborhood of LaPlace, Louisiana, on Aug. 30, as a volunteer high water truck assists people evacuating from homes in the area. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Crews were working to rescue people trapped by former Hurricane Ida's floodwaters as utility workers moved to try and restore power to over 1 million customers in Louisiana and nearly 60,000 others in Mississippi Monday, per AP.

The big picture: NASA Earth said preliminary data suggests Ida was the fifth-strongest storm "ever to make landfall in the continental U.S." when it hit Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday, leaving New Orleans with no electricity except power from generators.

  • The deadly storm weakened to a strong tropical depression on Monday. But it was bringing heavy rains, flash flooding, storm surge and extreme winds as it moved across Mississippi.
  • The threat of heavy rains and flooding was expected to continue to spread across parts of the Tennessee and Ohio Valley overnight and into Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Of note: The Louisiana Department of Health reported a second death from the storm on Monday, a man who drowned while trying to get his vehicle through floodwater in New Orleans.

  • Two people died and 10 were injured Monday night when a highway collapsed in Mississippi after the storm swept through, the state Highway Patrol said.
In photos: Ida pummels Gulf Coast
Children play in floodwater as a man measures the waters height on August 30, 2021 in Kiln, Mississippi.
Children play in floodwater as a man measures the water's height on Aug. 30 in Kiln, Mississippi. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images
A car is seen under rubble after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Ida on August 30, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
A car buried under rubble after a building was destroyed by Ida on Aug. 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
A man helps a stranded motorist in floodwaters on Beach Blvd. on August 30, 2021 in Biloxi, Mississippi.
A man helps a stranded motorist in floodwaters on Beach Blvd. on August 30, 2021, in Biloxi, Mississippi. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Vehicles are damaged after the front of a building collapsed during Hurricane Ida on Aug. 29 in New Orleans.
Vehicles are damaged after the front of a building collapsed during Hurricane Ida on Aug. 29 in New Orleans. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Pedestrians on Bourbon Street during a city-wide power outage caused by Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, Aug. 29
Pedestrians on Bourbon Street during a citywide power outage caused by Hurricane Ida in New Orleans on Aug. 29. Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Heavy rain falls as storm surge begins to encroach on Louisiana Route 1 ahead of Hurricane Ida in Golden Meadow, Louisiana
Heavy rain falls as storm surge begins to encroach on Louisiana Route 1 ahead of Ida in Golden Meadow, Louisiana, on Aug. 29. Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A cyclist wears a face mask as they ride through rain and high winds on Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29
A cyclist riding through rain and high winds in New Orleans on Aug. 29. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Trees sway in the wind from Hurricane Ida in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, Aug. 29
The storm topples trees in downtown New Orleans on Aug. 29. Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A truck is seen in heavy winds and rain from hurricane Ida in Bourg, Louisiana.
A truck is seen in heavy winds and rain in Bourg, Louisiana, on Aug. 29. Photo: Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images
A section of a building's roof is seen after being blown off during rain and winds in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo: Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
A section of a building's roof is seen after being blown off during rain and winds in the French Quarter of New Orleans on Aug. 29. Photo: Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Motorists drive down Canal Street as Hurricane Ida makes landfall in New Orleans, Louisiana,
Motorists drive down Canal Street in New Orleans as Hurricane Ida brings heavy rain on Aug. 29. Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Go deeper: Louisiana governor says damage from Hurricane Ida is "catastrophic"

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further details of the forecast, the impact of the storm, rescue and recovery operations and more photos.

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