Northwest graduate and freshman at Tulane University Jack Levine is currently staying with close family in Texas after flying out on Aug. 28, due to safety concerns over Hurricane Ida. 

“We started to get the forecasts a couple of days ago, and when I started to understand how potentially bad the forecast was saying that it could be, my friends and I started to make plans to get out,” Levine said.  

Levine said this storm brings heavy winds, rain and flooding, and has knocked out power in most areas, save for major places like hospitals and colleges that maintain their power with generators. 

“Right now it’s a Category 4 hurricane that hit slightly west of New Orleans, but it is [impacting] the entire area throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and kind of the entire Gulf Coast,” Levine said.  

While Levine voluntarily evacuated, he said he has friends still in New Orleans, some of whom are still at Tulane University. 

“My friends are sheltering in place in their dorms,” Levine said. “A lot of them have to hang out in hallways and in the bathrooms to be away from the windows because that could be dangerous if there is flying debris.”

Levine said there were several precautions taken by Tulane University and the city of New Orleans so the people who decided to stay would be safe: including the use of sandbags to prevent flooding and stockpiling food and water. 

“As far as flooding goes, a lot of dorm buildings are multiple stories high so you can elevate yourself if need be,” Levine said.

Classes from the weekend, Monday and Tuesday were canceled, Levine said. Tulane University is not going virtual, Levine said. 

“They could potentially offer virtual classes, but with a lot of people without power and wifi; that is not a viable option,” Levine said.  

Levine has a return flight scheduled for Wednesday. He said he hopes this is enough time for the power and running water to return. 

“I just hope that anyone who is in the Gulf Coast stays safe,” Levine said. “I hope everyone who is without electricity, shelter, and food and water gets the help that they need.”