Grand Isle Is ‘Uninhabitable’
Officials in Grand Isle, an island 18 miles (29 kilometers) east of Port Fourchon, said in a press conference Mondaythat the island is now “uninhabitable” after Ida’s storm surge created around a dozen breaks in the levee and sent water and sediment streaming in. The hurricane has left 3 feet (1 meter) of sand covering the island, which you can see covering Route 1 on the western edge of the island in this image.
Grand Isle is Louisiana’s only barrier island with people living on it and has a population of just under 800. All residents were ordered evacuated before the storm, and rescuers saved about 15 remaining. The only people remaining on the island are the mayor, the police chief, and some first responders.
