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On the last weekend of August, 2021, a category 4 hurricane named Ida made landfall in the state of Louisiana with 150 mph winds. Hundreds of thousands of people are now without electricity and summer temperatures are dangerously high. Many people were able to evacuate the area before the hurricane, but are now stranded. They are being told not to return; it is not yet safe.
Sign the petition to demand the U.S. government allot more resources towards helping these evacuees and people suffering in the aftermath of this natural disaster!
Hurricane Ida was a category 4 hurricane -- to put that in perspective, infamous Katrina was only a category 3. People in the area are quoted as saying Katrina seems like no big deal compared to Ida. So far, the official death toll is 5 people, though as time goes on and more information is gathered, it is sure to rise. The levees in New Orleans, which were hit particularly hard, have thankfully held. But the heat the city faces is just as big a problem without electricity. People who sheltered in place cannot even access basic necessities from stores.
The pets in the area are also suffering. Many people may have been forced to evacuate without their beloved pets, figuring they'd be back in several days. Others may have taken their animals but now have nowhere to go given that shelters and hotels often won't take animals. Pets are living beings too and deserve our help!
Over one million people did not have any power in Louisiana as of Tuesday, August 31st and parts of Mississippi as well. But this is more than an inconvenience. With scorching heat and limited emergency services, disabled people will have trouble keeping medical devices working and medicines stored safely. Disabled and non disabled people alike will be in danger of heat stroke and may not have enough food or clean water. Clean water, working sewage systems, and other basic utilities were said not to be guaranteed in these areas.
As for the millions of people who evacuated, they are now being told not to return. But unless they have unlimited funds and family or friends elsewhere who can take them in, staying away is just as difficult a proposition. These people are stranded and many may have lost their homes. We will not know the full extent of the damage for some days and weeks ahead. Officials have warned power outages may last up to one month.
But one thing is clear: people are suffering and they desperately need help. Sign the petition to demand more aid be sent to those affected by Hurricane Ida!
