JEAN LAFITTE, La. (WGNO) — It has been nearly a month since Hurricane Ida barreled through Lafitte and the devastation is apparent throughout the town. Dozens are without homes, their belongings destroyed and life as they know it has been flipped upside down. Locals are still in the early stages of cleaning up what Ida left behind.
The people of Lafitte have been recovering for weeks, and it isn’t just a matter of the trash, but thick mud that’s caked onto their yards.
Residents like John Vincent Alexie, who has been tirelessly cleaning his property since the storm.
“We had from four to six inches of mud that came with the high water and when it settled, it just made a paste. It’s not really a mud. It looks like mud, and you think the grass would go through it, but actually in my opinion, I think all of this is going to have to be bulldozed away,” said Alexie.
As people are sweeping away the mud, others like Anthony Encalade are trying to get through unimaginable conditions without the bare necessities.
“I got a little bit of electric in the house but not all through it. Don’t have no air conditioning. We have one air conditioner in the living room. That’s all,” said Encalade.
Linemen have been working around the clock to restore power to the bayou town and Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. says they’re making substantial progress.
“Right now we’re 99% restored. The 1% percent that’s left, the meters got flooded. Electricians are going to those areas and making sure it’s safe,” said Kerner.
Dozens of volunteers, many from out of state, are coming together to donate food and supplies to those who need it those most.
The people of Lafitte say they’re resilient and despite the natural disasters they endure, many say they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“To me, we live in a paradise, even though it looks how it looks now. That’s how I feel, you know, and I think a whole lot of other people feel the same way,” said Alexie.
Entergy estimates that the power will be restored to the Lafitte area by tomorrow, September 29th. Mayor Kerner says those in need can visit the drive-by distribution center at Jules Nunez Seafood Pavillion, where families can get essential supplies and a hot meal.
