hurricane ida

Louisiana is beginning the tough task of recovery after Hurricane Ida swept through the state's coast and caused significant damage and power outages.

The storm and pandemic pose a dual threat. "I hate to say it this way, but we have a lot of people on ventilators today and they don't work without electricity," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

Hurricane Ida rapidly gained strength right before it hit Louisiana this weekend. Abnormally hot water in the Gulf of Mexico acted as fuel for the storm.

At least four of the nine oil refineries in Ida's path are believed to have paused their operations ahead of the storm. AAA says it's too early to know the full impact until power is restored.

Residents and crews are beginning to survey the damage after Ida pummeled Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane. Experts say safety precautions are crucial in the aftermath.