Tropical storm Ida nears the Gulf Coast

November 9, 5:06 PMNew Orleans Rebuilding ExaminerRonni Armstead

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  Ida's projected path as of Saturday.

No one was expecting a hurricane this late in the season.

Well maybe Mayor Nagin knew a storm was brewing when he returned from Cuba in October, praising the emergency preparedness of its centralized government.

This weekend, Hurricane Ida was rated a category 2 as it passed over the Western Caribbean. However, as of Sunday evening November 8, 2009, Ida has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm.  The Recovery School District in New Orleans has cancelled classes until Wednesday, and so have the St. Bernard Parish schools. Although Governor Jindal has called a State of Emergency and put the National Guard on alert, many residents remain unphased as Ida is projected to make landfall in Alabama and miss Louisiana altogether. However, residents shouldn't be too casual about Ida, storm surge is expected to raise water levels and cause significant flooding in low-lying areas.

While tropical storm warnings have been issued throughout Southeastern Louisiana, long-term safeguards have not been put in place since Katrina; for example, the levee systems have not been completely repaired, and will not be finished until 2011 at the earliest. But instead of commending Mayor Nagin's visit to Cuba as a chance to enhance the social infrastructure in greater New Orleans to produce better outcomes, many critics point to the island nations' alleged human rights abuses without once calling for an investigation to take place regarding the race-based murders in Algiers immediately following the Katrina disaster. Voluntary evacuations have been issued, but residents continue to watch Ida suspiciously.  Because of a convoluted political environment -- one where authority and jurisdiction are often confused, and a stagnant local and national economy, many opportunities to rebuild potential hurricane safeguards to a higher standard than before have been missed.

For now, residents are urged to stay informed and be prepared.

For more info: updates on extreme weather conditions can be found here.