After Hurricane Ida, long lines formed in front of gas stations in many parts of the US state of Louisiana. As the power went out in the area, large numbers of people lined up with bottles to get petrol for the generators at the pumps. Many petrol stations in the area are still closed and roads are clogged with rubble. In New Orleans, a night curfew was imposed from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am.
“Ida” hit the southwestern Louisiana coast of New Orleans on Sunday. The storm damaged an important port for crude oil in Port Fortone. It serves as a transit point for many oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico. The White House said Tuesday (local time) that the rules on maximum driving hours for truck drivers have been temporarily relaxed in order to improve gas supply. Environmental guidance will be suspended in the short term to increase concessions to Louisiana and the neighboring state of Mississippi, as the responsible EPA said.
In Louisiana, about one million families are still without electricity due to storm damage. In New Orleans, the largest city with a population of about 400,000, electricity continued to plummet – precisely in the summer heat, as most residents relied on their electric air conditioning systems. It is not yet clear how long it will take to recover at least a large portion of the supply.
Also, a temporary night curfew was issued in New Orleans following the hurricane. The city’s mayor, Ladoya Condrell, announced it would apply from 8pm to 6am. Police justified the move with public safety. It is not safe to be on the streets at night at present due to power outages in the city. Also, the police want to take action against the robbery.
Condrell announced on Wednesday that the first small section of the city’s power supply would be back on track. No one should expect the lights to be lit at the same time. This will take time and the power will only be restored gradually.