Powerful Hurricane Ida Strikes Louisiana and Mississippi, Weakens to Tropical Storm

Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S. 

The powerful category 4 storm made landfall in Louisiana with 150 mile-per-hour winds blowing off roofs and even reversing the flow of the Mississippi River.

It hit on the exact date that Hurricane Katrina barreled through New Orleans 16 years ago.

Hurricane Ida may have been smaller than Katrina but she was stronger. Ida's winds brought devastating storm surges and high winds to coastal Louisiana and Mississippi and left 1.8 million people without power.

Ida made landfall at Port Fourchon around 12:00 pm Sunday after pummeling the barrier island of Grand Isle with its ferocious storm surge. Roofs were blown off buildings and some residents who stayed reported water in their homes was up to their chests. 

"People have had and sustained damage to their homes," one woman said. "We have had a senior center about a third of their roof was damaged. They were taking in water."

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In Homa, Louisiana, located southwest of New Orleans, high winds ripped the roof off a building. The storm surge and wind was so powerful, it temporarily reversed the flow of the Mississippi River. 

In Lafitte, there were reports that a levee was failing and a barge broke loose, slamming into a bridge. affecting any rescue operations.

Overnight, the entire city of New Orleans lost power. memories of Katrina 16 years ago and the devastating flooding after the levee system failed had many anxious to leave.

"This one is coming from the south, so it's going to be pushing water up the whole entire time," one man said. "The water is my biggest concern." 

Ida has weakened to a tropical storm as she continues to move northward through Louisiana but still poses a powerful threat, 

CBN's Operation Blessing is loading up their trucks as they prepare to respond to Hurricane Ida. They'll be bringing life-sustaining supplies to help families take their first steps toward recovery.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) warned his state to brace for potentially weeks of recovery. He said many will be tested in ways that we can only imagine.