Powerful Hurricane Ida makes landfall in Louisiana

‘Extremely dangerous’ Category 4 hurricane brings storm surge and winds of over 240km per hour to southern US state.

Hurricane Ida has made landfall in the US state of Louisiana, after the Category 4 hurricane’s rapid approach of the United States Gulf Coast prompted local officials to urge residents to take cover and open emergency shelters for evacuees. The storm made landfall as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said at 11:55am CDT (16:55 GMT) on Sunday. It brought maximum sustained winds of 241 kilometres per hour (150mph) to the southern US region, which for days had been bracing for the hurricane to hit.