Photo: Getty Images
Gov. John Bel Edwards provided an updated on Louisiana's response to Hurricane Ida after the deadly storm cut a path through the state Sunday (August 29). During a press conference Monday morning, Gov. Edwards praised the state's levee systems, saying they performed "extremely well" as the Category 4 hurricane drenched Louisiana, WDSU reports.
"Ida came in very much as advertised. Very, very strong storm," he said, acknowledging that flooding issues are a concern for many as residents are trapped inside their homes.
One of the concerns going into the storm was if the levees would hold, an issue exacerbated by the history of Hurricane Katrina. According to Edwards, however, the levees were overall successful, despite some expected overtopping in certain areas.
Since Katrina devastated the region in 2005, the federal government has spent $14.5 million on levees, pumps, seawalls, floodgates and drainage to protect New Orleans and the areas surrounding Lake Ponchartrain from dangerous storm surge and flooding, U.S. News reports.
"The one good news here, the good news this morning anyway, all of our levee systems performed extremely well," Edwards said, "especially the hurricane risk reduction system around New Orleans and even non-federal levees in Lafourche, Terrebonne parish performed extremely well."
This sentiment was reiterated by the Flood Protection Authority, which confirmed there were no breaches.
"There were no levee breaches or overtopping within the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS)," the agency said, adding that updates will be provided as soon as they are available. "There have been no issues with our pumps. We will be inspecting the system today and assessing any damages as soon as conditions allow."
"If we had to deal with failed levee systems this morning, it would be completely unimaginable," Edwards said. "Thank goodness that is not what we are dealing with today."