6 dead as Hurricane Ida causes havoc in the United States

The remnants of Hurricane Ida devastated parts of the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area on Wednesday night (September 1), with media reporting at least six deaths so far.

Ida, which has weakened and is now classified as a post-tropical cyclone, made landfall in Louisiana on August 29. This is also the date on which Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans, Louisiana, 16 years ago.

Ida has devastated parts of Louisiana, leaving communities without electricity and tap water; while in NYC, subways, roads, and houses have been flooded.

Flash Floods Hit New York As Hurricane Ida Causes Chaos https://t.co/Bk5irXsTsw pic.twitter.com/dwx40tYNOJ

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) September 2, 2021

🚨#BREAKING Shocking video shows flood waters ripping through apartments in New York City

📌#Manhattan I #NYC

Reports of catastrophic flash flooding happening across in New Jersey and New York City as millions of people brace for this devastating floods pic.twitter.com/0Y2170sgKo

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) September 2, 2021

https://twitter.com/la17_lynn/status/1433252192056713220?s=20

The state of emergency was declared by NYC mayor Bill de Blasio to protect citizens and secure federal help. A temporary travel ban was also enacted, which requires all non-emergency vehicles to be off the roads. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has also declared a state of emergency in response to Ida.

Due to severe weather, there is a travel ban in effect beginning now until 5:00 AM on 9/2. All non-emergency vehicles must be off NYC streets and highways.

— NYCEM – Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) September 2, 2021

Please stay off the streets tonight and let our first responders and emergency services get their work done.

If you’re thinking of going outside, don’t. Stay off the subways. Stay off the roads. Don’t drive into these heavy waters. 

Stay inside.

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) September 2, 2021

BREAKING: I’m declaring a STATE OF EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY in response to Tropical Storm Ida.

We will use every resource at our disposal to ensure the safety of New Jerseyans.

Stay off the roads, stay home, and stay safe.

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) September 2, 2021

Scores of individuals have been impacted and major disruptions caused in many parts of the country. On Thursday, the US National Weather Service recorded 80.01mm of rain in New York’s Central Park in one hour. This far surpassed the 49.27mm that fell in one hour during Tropical Storm Henri on the night of August 21, which was believed at the time to be the most ever recorded in the park, as reported by ABC Eyewitness News.

Interruptions experienced across the city

According to CNN, thousands of people celebrating NYC’s ‘comeback’ from Covid-19 at a concert in Central Park on August 28, were told to pack up and go home because of the severe weather.

De Blasio said he was disappointed that the concert was cut short but expressed his thanks to the many people who attended the event. Read more here.

The weather service has reported that Post-Tropical Cyclone Ida is forecast to move into the Canadian maritime provinces by tonight (September 2).