Louisiana authorities have ordered the immediate closure of seven nursing homes involved in what turned out to be a deadly evacuation of residents ahead of Hurricane Ida. “What happened in Independence is reprehensible, and I know there are many families hurting as a result,” Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Dr. Courtney N. Phillips said in a statement Saturday. Phillips was referring to the death of seven nursing home residents who were placed in a warehouse shelter ahead of the hurricane making landfall earlier this week. Five of the deaths were found to be storm-related, but the warehouse reportedly offered the evacuees abysmal conditions, and health inspectors were blocked from checking the facility. “The lack of regard for these vulnerable residents’ wellbeing is an affront to human dignity. We have lost trust in these nursing homes to provide adequate care for their residents. We are taking immediate action today to protect public health,” State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter said.