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2021 was one of the most active tropical storm seasons since records began. Within that year, Hurricane Ida was the most powerful and costliest storm in the Atlantic.

Hurricane Ida first made landfall on the 26th August 2021 in the Cayman Islands. It gained energy and grew stronger within the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Three days later, on the 29th August, Ida reached the state of Louisiana on the US coast.

Hurricane Ida brought wind speeds of 277km/h and between 120 and 250mm of rainfall to Louisiana. This led to widespread flooding and a wide range of other impacts.

Impacts

Economic

• Hurricane Ida was estimated to have cost over $65 billion in damages.
• Buildings, cars, people's possessions and business stock were lost.
• New Orleans airport cancelled all flights, leading to disruptions in business, tourism and trade.
• 478 square kilometers of sugarcane crops in Louisiana were destroyed. This was around 26% of the total sugarcane harvest in the state, resulting in loss of earnings for farmers.
• More than 90% of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico was shut down as a result of the storm. This led to a loss of earnings in the region.

Social

At least 115 people were killed across the Caribbean Islands and the United States.

More pressure was placed on hospitals, which were already operating at full capacity due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Over a million were left without electricity as the storm knocked out Mississippi and Louisiana’s power grids.

More than 800,000 people were affected by temporary food and fuel shortages.

Emergency warnings for flash flooding were issued in New York for the first time ever. These are given out in exceedingly rare cases where there is a serious threat to life and catastrophic damage.

Environmental impacts

• Fallen trees and flooded vegetation affected animals' habitats.
• A large oil spill was caused due to damage to an offshore drilling site in the Gulf of Mexico. The led to water pollution and the destruction of marine habitats.
• Roads, train lines and other transport infrastructure became unusable due to flooding, resulting in disruptions to travel and trade.
• Coastal wetlands and beaches were damaged, exposing the coast to further erosion and impacting wildlife.

Responses

Ida was expected to be as serious as Hurricane Katrina. This was a 2005 storm that followed a similar path to Ida, killing 1,800 people. However, New Orleans' flood defences were strengthened after Hurricane Katrina. The new system of leeves managed to withstand the storm surge and many lives were saved as a result.

President Joe Biden declared a major disaster and made extra funds available for rescue and recovery efforts. Around 5,000 National Guard members were sent to help with the search and rescue. In addition to this, over 25,000 workers from around the country were brought in to help restore power and support the recovery.

In the long term, more governments will need to develop strategic plans to prepare for tropical storms. Investments made in flood prevention and coastal protection schemes such as sea walls will be essential. Careful consideration needs to be given to the use of land particularly in low-lying areas. Local people and emergency service teams will need training in how to respond to tropical storm events, ensuring a coordinated and planned response. This should reduce the impact of tropical storms on people and the environment.