Almost 800 rescued in St. John the Baptist Parish after Hurricane Ida

At least three people have died as a result of the storm.

Last Updated: August 31, 2021, 8:36 AM EDT

Ida is barreling through Louisiana after making landfall in the state as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Sunday afternoon.

It was one of the strongest hurricanes on record -- by both wind speed and pressure -- to roar ashore in Louisiana.

Ida, now a tropical storm, is hitting on the 16-year anniversary of Katrina, a Category 3 hurricane that ravaged the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina unleashed a series of events, taking the lives of more than 1,800 people and leaving more than $100 billion worth of damage in its wake.

Latest headlines:

Here are the latest developments. All times Eastern.
Aug 29, 2021, 8:23 AM EDT

Ida to make landfall with 155 mph winds in just a few hours: NHC

The National Hurricane Center forecasts that Ida will make landfall in a just a few hours, reaching wind speeds of up to 155 mph.

That wind speed would make Ida just 1 mph short of becoming a Category 5 storm.

Aug 29, 2021, 8:09 AM EDT

Hurricane-force winds hit southern Louisiana

Major Hurricane Ida is a high-end Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph and hurricane-force winds are hitting the coast of southern Louisiana now.

Hurricane Ida has winds of 150 mph and is about 50 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The storm is moving northwest at 15 mph. The current pressure is 933 mb.

At 8 p.m. Saturday night, Hurricane Ida was a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds. The pressure was 969 mb. Ida has dropped 36 mb in 12 hours.

Aug 29, 2021, 7:46 AM EDT

Tornadoes possible as Ida makes landfall

A new tornado watch has been issued from New Orleans to Pensacola, Florida. A few tornadoes will be possible as Ida comes ashore.

This tornado watch will go until 7 p.m. CDT.

Aug 29, 2021, 7:04 AM EDT

Winds now at 150 mph

Hurricane Ida has strengthened once again with winds now 150 mph.  Wind gusts of 93 mph are being reported in southeast Louisiana.

Ida is now 60 Miles south-sothwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Ida is moving northwest at 15 MPH.

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