DEADLY FURY

Hurricane Ida Knocks Out 911 Systems in New Orleans, Claims First Victim

System weakens to a tropical storm 16 hours after making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, with a ton of rain still to come.

Hurricane Ida killed at least one person and knocked out power to all of New Orleans before it was downgraded to a tropical storm early Monday. Ida weakened to a tropical storm 16 hours after making landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing life-threatening floods along the Southeast coast as well as torrential rain and winds as high as 150 mph, making it the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever batter the mainland. The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office reported the storm’s first recorded death, saying a citizen was mortally injured by a fallen tree. Emergency responses have been hampered by 911 systems going down, with the New Orleans Emergency Communications Center urging people who need help to travel to their nearest fire station to speak to the nearest officer. More than 1 million customers in Louisiana are without power early Monday.