Almost 800 rescued in St. John the Baptist Parish after Hurricane Ida
At least three people have died as a result of the storm.
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.
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Ida makes landfall in Louisiana
Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, just before 1 p.m. as a dangerous Category 4 hurricane with maximum winds of 150 mph.
This is of the strongest hurricanes on record to hit the state of Louisiana. Hurricane Laura made landfall on Aug. 27, 2020, as a category 4 with 150 mph winds as well.
Sixteen years ago today, Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana.
-ABC News’ Dan Peck
Eyewall beginning to hit land
Hurricane conditions are beginning to strengthen as Ida’s eyewall edges closer to Louisiana’s shore.
The system is still a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds. As of 12 p.m., it was 25 miles south-southwest of Grand Isle, Louisiana, and about 60 miles southeast of Houma, Louisiana.
Ida is moving northwest at 13 mph.
Shell Beach, Louisiana, is reporting 6 feet of storm surge, while parts of southern Mississippi are reporting storm surge of 5.4 feet.
Wind gusts well over 100 mph are being reported in south Louisiana, with gusts up to 60 mph at New Orleans Lakefront Airport.
-ABC News’ Dan Manzo
Catastrophic storm surge coming ashore
Hurricane force winds and catastrophic storm surge are moving onto the southern Louisiana coast.
Ida is a major Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph, but it has the possibility to strengthen even more in the next hour as it churns along the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
At 11 a.m., the storm was about 85 miles south of New Orleans, moving northwest at 13 mph.
Wind gusts of 121 mph have already been reported in southern Louisiana, while storm surge of 5.6 feet was recorded in Shell Beach, Louisiana.
Ida is expected to make landfall in the next few hours.
-ABC News’ Dan Manzo