The mayor of Lafitte, Louisiana, is pleading for help Sunday night, saying the town needs help with water rescues. He told ABC News affiliate WGNO that 200 people were stranded.

"Never seen one like this," Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. told the station. "Worst storm in our history."

He said the storm waters are over the levees, have destroyed and school and has put people in "imminent" danger.

Ida has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane as it batters Louisiana. Six to 12 inches of rain has fallen in some parts of the state and another 4 to 6 inches is possible.

President Joe Biden has approved Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edward's request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration.

Ida is expected to weaken to a tropical storm Monday as it slowly moves into southwestern Mississippi with heavy rain, strong winds and flash flooding. Ida will continue to bring heavy rain through Monday across southeast Louisiana, coastal Mississippi and southwestern Alabama.

Through Wednesday, as Ida moves inland, considerable flooding is possible in parts of the lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, upper Ohio Valley, Central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic.

-ABC News' Melissa Griffin

Louisiana's Ochsner Health hospital system will evacuate 66 patients from two hospitals due to damaged roofs and windows, hospital officials said.

-ABC News' Matt Foster

In St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, recovery will take months, not weeks, parish president Guy McInnis told ABC News.

Twenty-two barges in the Mississippi River broke loose from the storm. Four barges have been significantly damaged but none pose a threat to the levees, he said.

The storm surge didn't impact the levees rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, but did damage some of the businesses in the fishing industry, he said.

-ABC News' Darren Reynolds

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards provided another update on the damage from Hurricane Ida Monday evening.

Edwards said the state is still in a search and rescue mode as torrential rain and strong winds from the tropical depression continue to hit the state.

He said the entire southeastern section of the state is without power and over 1 million people are affected.

"There are an awful lot of unknowns right now," Edwards said. "I can't tell you when the power is going to be restored."

Edwards said the priority is to restore electricity to critical infrastructure and services, such as hospitals and dialysis centers.

Three hospitals were evacuated and a fourth is in the process of moving their patients, according to the governor.

Edwards said there was a "silver lining" from the storm in that there have been no reports of breached levees. There may have been a few levees where water overflowed, but the levees held up in critical locations, including New Orleans, according to the governor.

"They did not fail," he said.

Edwards urged homeowners who evacuated to not return to their homes until their parish leaders give the all-clear.

The Louisiana National Guard rescued 191 citizens and 27 pets so far across Jefferson, St. John the Baptist and Orleans parishes, Edwards said. They are conducting more sweeps through the affected areas.

The governor urged homeowners in affected areas to stay safe, as most hurricane fatalities take place long after the storm hits. He reminded people to use generators outside their houses, avoid driving through deep waters and not exert themselves during cleanups.

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Edwards did warn that he expects the death toll to rise, but said the numbers won't be as high if people heed warnings.

"This is a tough blow, but things are going to be OK," he said.