Those hit hardest by Hurricane Ida now face an even longer test of survival.
Catastrophic damage means some Louisiana parishes won’t have electricity for up to a month – which can be deadly in the oppressive heat.
Many areas still lack running water or have sewage systems that aren’t fully working.
“We have had devastation before, but we have never seen anything of the magnitude of Hurricane Ida,” said Councilwoman Tammy Houston of St. John the Baptist Parish.
The next few weeks will be ugly. Here’s what experts say residents can do:
Evacuate or stay evacuated
Without water and electricity, “there’s nothing here for them,” Houston said Wednesday – three days after Ida made landfall.
Staying away from the worst-hit areas is the best thing storm victims can do – not just for themselves, but to expedite the recovery, said retired US Army Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré.