As daylight hit, authorities launched teams to conduct search and rescue operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. The credible reports paint a terrible picture on the ground, Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said.
"Unfortunately, the worst case scenario seems to have happened," Lee Sheng said, adding that some houses are flooded with water that's "beyond chest high. It's up to the top of the roof."
The weather conditions and power outages made it tough for teams to work overnight.
"This is an area that has a lot of swampland, alligators, very dangerous conditions. They had to wait for the sun to come up this morning. They had a strategy," Lee Sheng explained. "We have people out there ready to clear roads. We're going to have boats, high-water vehicles. Our first responders are ready to go. They just needed the daylight to be able to do their best work."