The city of New Orleans has lost power completely, with emergency generators are the only way people have been able to get any kind of electricity.

US President Joe Biden declared a “major disaster” and said it could take weeks to restore supplies.

He has released extra funds for rescue and recovery efforts.

It was originally declared a category four storm which means people should expect it to cause severe damage to buildings, trees and power lines.

It has now been downgraded to a category one, with its winds dropping to 95mph as it moved inland.

ESA/NASA

European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet took this photo of Hurricane Ida on Sunday from the International Space Station

People who had not left the area in advance were advised to take shelter.

In a tweet, the US National Weather Service (NWS) told New Orleans residents: “Go to an interior room or a small room with no windows. Stay put during this time.”

So far one person has died. More than 90% of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut down.

High winds tore part of the roof off a hospital in the town of Cut Off, Louisiana, just inland from the Gulf of Mexico.

Reuters

Residents make preparations for the storm in New Orleans on Saturday

Normally, hospitals in the predicted path of the hurricane would be evacuated, but this time due to the impact of covid-19 there are few beds available at other hospitals.

The hospital said it had suffered “significant damage” but that its patients were safe.

Hurricane Ida has hit the state on the same date as Hurricane Katrina did 16 years earlier.

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina killed 1,800 people across Louisiana and Mississippi.

Reuters

Waves on Lake Pontchartrain, in south-eastern Louisiana

Since then, billions of dollars have been spent on flood defences, and it’s thought they could now be put to the test by Hurricane Ida.

So far they seem to be working although there is a flash flood warning in place for New Orleans.

In some areas the storm surge could be as high as 16ft (4.8m), potentially submerging parts of the low-lying coastline.

President Joe Biden said Ida would be “life-threatening”, with immense devastation likely beyond the coasts.

State Governor John Bel Edwards said that “the coming days and weeks are going to be extremely difficult” but that as a state Louisiana has never been more prepare