Mississippi: Joe Biden declares state of emergency ahead of arrival of Hurricane Ida

The White House has announced that the United States' President Joe Biden has announced an emergency in the state of Mississippi ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Ida. According to the statement from the White House on Saturday, "The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures," as per ANI. 

On Sunday, Hurricane Ida is projected to make landfall as a Category Four hurricane on the Louisiana coast west of New Orleans. Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana cautioned on Saturday that Ida might be considered as one of the most powerful hurricanes to impact Louisiana since the 1850s. LaToya Cantrell, the mayor of New Orleans, has advised residents to evacuate on their own immediately. 

However, on Saturday, the Cuban media claimed that the hurricane had caused no serious impact on the country. Over Saturday night, Ida made its way from Cuba towards the Gulf of Mexico. Over 90% of the production of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico was halted on Saturday prior to Ida's arrival, stated by the US government. 

According to the US National Hurricane Center, hurricane Ida was quickly intensifying in advance of the touchdown. They even warned of the life-threatening situations that were predicted along with the Northern Gulf Coast beginning of the Sunday morning. 

More about the Hurricane Ida 

Ida is expected to make landfall today on the northern Gulf Coast, bringing with it a possibly fatal storm surge, severe downpour flooding, and perhaps devastating winds. 

Since about 6 a.m. CDT on Sunday, Ida recorded the winds speed of 150 mph. Ida's wind speeds rose by 70 mph in under 24 hours, easily meeting the requirements for a tropical cyclone's quick strengthening. Before Ida makes a touchdown, bands of heavy rainfall with strong gusts of winds are starting to spread across the northern Gulf Coast. 

Throughout the Cameron, Louisiana east to Intracoastal City, Louisiana, and from the Pearl River in Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida boundary, severe thunderstorm warnings are in order. Much further inland as northeast Louisiana and central Mississippi, tropical storm warnings remain in force. 

Talking about the intensity of hurricane Ida, the president said that it was developing into a very catastrophic storm and the US government was prepared to assist. 

About Hurricane Katrina

16 years, ago, Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans ,was considered to be a category three storm that wreaked havoc. Katrina had submerged 80% of New Orleans and killed over 1,800 citizens. 

(Image Credit: Unsplash- NASA/AP) 

(With inputs from ANI)