Temporary repairs to Grand Isle levee nearing completion

Here are aerial views of Hurricane Ida damage in Grand Isle on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.
Published: Sep. 28, 2021 at 3:17 PM CDT
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NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Engineers have placed more than a thousand sacks of sand in a dozen locations along Grand Isle’s southern levee where tidal surge from Hurricane Ida breached.

Hurricane Ida’s eastern eyewall hit Grand Isle on Aug. 29. Every home on the island reported damage and around 40-50% were completely destroyed. Most other structures received major damage.

“I’ve never seen it look like this,” said the director of Jefferson Parish Fire Services, Bryan Adams. “It’s decimated.”

On average, authorities say Grand Isle is impacted by tropical storms and hurricanes every 2.68 years and is directly hit every 7.88 years, on average.

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The Louisiana National Guard’s 225th Engineer Brigade has placed 1,100 sacks of sand to fill the breached areas of the levee and plans to place around 400 more. The project should be completed within the next couple of days, weather permitting, according to Col. Greg St. Romain. Each sack of sand contains 4,000 pounds of sand.

Louisiana National Guardsmen assigned to the 225th Engineer Brigade emplace 3-by-3 foot sacks...
Louisiana National Guardsmen assigned to the 225th Engineer Brigade emplace 3-by-3 foot sacks filled with up to 4,000 pounds of sand each along twelve levee breaches, Grand Isle, Sept 24, 2021. Tidal surge from Hurricane Ida damaged the island’s levee leading to massive flooding. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Pugh)(Staff Sgt. Josiah Pugh | Louisiana National Guard)
Louisiana National Guardsman assigned to the 225th Engineer Brigade hooks straps of a 3-by-3...
Louisiana National Guardsman assigned to the 225th Engineer Brigade hooks straps of a 3-by-3 foot sack to an excavator bucket filled with up to 4,000 pounds of sand to emplace in one of twelve levee breaches, Grand Isle, Sept 24, 2021. To date, the 225th has emplaced more than 1,100 sacks of sand along the coastline levees in Grand Isle. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Pugh)(Staff Sgt. Josiah Pugh | Louisiana National Guard)
Louisiana National Guardsmen assigned to the 225th Engineer Brigade emplace 3-by-3 foot sacks...
Louisiana National Guardsmen assigned to the 225th Engineer Brigade emplace 3-by-3 foot sacks filled with up to 4,000 pounds of sand each along twelve levee breaches, Grand Isle, Sept 24, 2021. Tidal surge from Hurricane Ida damaged the island’s levee leading to massive flooding. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Pugh)(Staff Sgt. Josiah Pugh | Louisiana National Guard)

“As long as there is one grain of sand on Grand Isle, we are going to plant the American flag,” Mayor David Carmardelle said. “We are not going anywhere.”

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