Thousands of National Guard service members are heading to the Gulf Coast to help with recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, the Pentagon announced Monday.
U.S. Northern Command, in coordination with the National Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has activated more than 5,200 personnel in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama, according to Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, vice director for logistics of the Joint Staff.
“They bring a variety of assets including high-water vehicles, rotary lift and other transportation capability to support recovery efforts,” Taylor told reporters at the Pentagon.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is also operational in New Orleans and is “assessing the storm’s impact,” he noted.
The Defense Department also “stands ready to assist as requested by FEMA,” Taylor added.
Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane, knocking out power for all of New Orleans by Sunday evening. Most of the area is still without power as of Monday afternoon.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said Monday that he expects the death toll from Hurricane Ida — now mostly inland and downgraded to a tropical storm — to rise “considerably throughout the day” as search and rescue operations get underway.
The Louisiana National Guard tweeted earlier Monday they have begun search-and-rescue efforts in Laplace, located between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
The Louisiana National Guard also said it had activated 4,900 Guardsmen and staged 195 high-water vehicles, 73 rescue boats and 34 helicopters in the past 72 hours.