In Jackson, Miss., residents fill up sandbags ahead of potential flash floods
JACKSON, Miss. — At a sandbag distribution site in Mississippi’s capital Sunday afternoon, residents scrambled to collect supplies to help fortify their homes ahead of a potential onslaught of flash flooding that could follow heavy rain wrought by Hurricane Ida.
More than a dozen people shared shovels and buckets and hoisted bulky bags into their vehicles underneath an overcast sky as thunder rumbled.
Debra Jones spent about 30 minutes shoveling sand into 12 bags that she planned to place along her front door and garage. Her west Jackson home hasn’t flooded before, but water has seeped into her neighbors’ homes during previous storms.
"I'm hoping and praying everything is going to be well," she said.
The city’s Public Works Department has already announced that the parts of some streets prone to flooding will be closed starting Monday.
Frederick Gates, who helped supervise and direct traffic at Sunday’s distribution, said the Public Works Department was beginning to work off a second pallet of supplies.
The warning that Ida, a Category 4 storm, could bring strong wind and major rain to central Mississippi prompted Jones to stock up on batteries, flashlights and foods that won’t spoil quickly in power outages.
Jones said the storm’s making landfall on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina evoked a heightened sense of caution.
“This puts a little fear in us to get more prepared,” she said.
Deanna Vail said her home in south Jackson has flooded at least twice — once in 1984 and again last year — in the almost 30 years she has lived here. She borrowed a family member’s truck to haul away about 25 sandbags with the help of her younger brother.
Winds pick up in Houma, Louisiana
Power outages are spreading across New Orleans
'Wind speeds are going crazy'
The winds gusting through Louisiana appear to be ferocious.
In a video uploaded by Twitter user @TerrebonneGavin, fierce and high-powered winds can be seen thrashing trees somewhere in the town of Galliano.
"Oh my God — wow," an unidentified person can be heard saying in the video clip.
Boats appear to collide as Ida bears down
Two boats appeared to collide on the waters off St. Rose, Louisiana, as Hurricane Ida whipped up fierce winds on Sunday afternoon.
The moment was recorded and uploaded to Twitter.
"Oh my God. They're heading for each other," an unidentified person can be heard saying in the video. "You guys, this is unbelievable."
St. Rose sits on the east bank of the Mississippi River.
Fire station's security camera shows fast-rising waters
Time-lapse video from security cameras in a St. Bernard Parish fire station show flood waters rising quickly, inundating the southeastern Louisiana building in less than hour.
The National Weather Service used the video to demonstrate Hurricane Ida's danger.
"This is how fast surge can rise," the agency's New Orleans field office said on Twitter. "You are putting your life in danger if you are in a surge prone area. PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THE COAST!"
Some staying put in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as storm hits
NBC News’ Sam Brock reported that businesses, hotels and apartment buildings throughout downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, hadn't been boarded up as the city awaited the storm.
Standing before a fleet of trucks that will be deployed to restore customers’ power when the hurricane is gone, Brock said he found people “hanging out” by the Mississippi River as Ida was barreling toward the city.
Brock said he spoke to the Baton Rouge mayor, who said the city has invested some $20 million to try to improve the drainage system and “drain the water that could cause trouble” in the aftermath of the storm.
He also spoke to one couple who said they planned to stay put because they had parents in their 80s and jobs in the area.
"I definitely think there's plenty of homes that will be affected by this," the woman said. "We are fortunate that we are on very high ground, I think ours will be OK, but we might be helping all of our neighbors."
Photo: Ida causes severe damage in New Orleans' French Quarter
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says state has "never been more prepared" for hurricane
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards reassured his constituents during a press conference on Sunday afternoon that the state was prepared to take on the forces of Hurricane Ida as the storm raged.
"There is no doubt that the coming days and weeks are going to be extremely difficult for our state … but as a state we’ve never been more prepared," Edwards said.
Edwards said the state had 900 people as part of the search and rescue efforts, split among 21 teams standing by during the storm and its aftermath.
Out of the state's 692 floodgates, 459 had been closed, Edwards said, and although officials reaffirmed their confidence in the levees, which have been improved since Hurricane Katrina hit 16 years ago, Edwards said the state was expecting "overtopping" on some of the levees.
"Will it be tested? Yes," Edwards said of the flood protection system. "But It was built for this moment."
He also urged residents not to panic about overtopping.
"Overtopping and levee failure are not the same thing," he said. "Obviously we will continue to monitor our flood protection systems."
Edwards warned that people may need to prepare shelter in place for up to 72 hours after the storm. While he implored people to stay home, he said if people needed to go out and got stuck, that it could be a while for help to arrive.
He added that parishes would be deciding on and announcing curfews for their respective residents.
Those who evacuated need to check with their local officials before returning, Edwards said.
He said that 1,542 people were currently being sheltered across the state.