New Orleans: Seniors left in the dark after Ida
NEW ORLEANS — Officials in New Orleans are inspecting senior living apartments in the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida after finding people living in buildings without working generators, trapping residents in wheelchairs in dark, sweltering upper floors.
Five people died in the private buildings Sunday, and hundreds have already been evacuated, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Monday. The coroner’s office is investigating whether the deaths will be attributed to the hurricane, which struck land nine days before.
The managers of some of the homes for seniors have disappeared without adequately taking care of the residents, New Orleans City Council member Kristin Palmer said at a news conference.
“The city is creating teams of workers from the health, safety and permits, code enforcement and other departments. Their first focus is to make sure the senior homes are safe and evacuate people if necessary, Cantrell said.
But after that, management will be held accountable, and the city will likely add requirements that include facilities having emergency agreements in place with contractors who will make sure generator power is available at the sites, the mayor said.
More than 530,000 customers still don’t have power in Louisiana.
Also Monday, President Joe Biden approved major disaster declarations that greenlight federal aid for people in six New Jersey counties and five New York counties affected by devastating flooding last week from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. At least 50 people were killed in six states in the Northeast.
Biden is scheduled to visit New Jersey and New York City on Tuesday.