New Orleans Plunged Into Darkness After Hurricane Ida Destroys Transmission Lines

New Orleans was plunged into darkness after Hurricane Ida took out the city’s transmission lines on August 29.

Describing Ida as having “catastrophic intensity”, Energy company Entergy said “all eight transmission lines that deliver power into the New Orleans area are currently out of service.”

“We have provided back-up generation to the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board,” they said. “Power will not be restored this evening, but we will continue work to remedy.”

This footage by Joel Franco shows an emergency vehicle driving through powerful winds and heavy rain in downtown New Orleans, its flashing lights illuminating the dark streets.

The hurricane first made landfall at Port Fourchon at around midday before making a second landfall near Galliano at 2 pm. The storm was carrying winds of up 145 mph, or 235 km/h, according to the National Hurricane Center. Credit: Joel Franco via Storyful