Biden visits Louisiana for firsthand view of Hurricane Ida's destruction | DW News

US President Joe Biden has visited areas devastated by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. The tail end of the storm also caused record rainfall and flash flooding in New Jersey and New York. Nearly 50 people have been confirmed dead, and hundreds of thousands are still without power.

Stunning destruction was inflicted by the record rainfall New Jersey suffered this week. Dozens of people died as Ida tore through the heavily populated state. Authorities say the search for survivors - and the missing - is not over yet.

Rescue crews continue to search in neighboring Pennsylvania too. The floods submerged cars and basement apartments there. Many were surprised by the staggering speed with which the waters rose.

In New York, some areas are still struggling with major power outages. And some subway lines are still out of action, after Ida swamped them.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has admitted the State was caught off guard this time. She's vowed to be better prepared next time - when the next major disaster hits.

Ida was a storm when it hit the Northeast. Imagine the damage inflicted in the US South - there it was a category four hurricane. Homes and businesses in this corner of Louisiana didn't stand a chance. About a million people in Louisiana are without power, after the hurricane destroyed electrical grids.

Oil production chains serving the city of New Orleans have also been damaged - meaning fuel shortages and long lines at tank stations.

President Joe Biden traveled to Louisiana on Friday to see the scale of the destruction there first hand.

He said getting the hard-hit parts of the US back on their feet should be everyone's goal.

Hurricane Ida has again made it heartbreakingly clear just how vulnerable the US is to extreme weather events. Experts warn storms like Ida will become more frequent as climate change intensifies.

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