On August 29, Hurricane Ida collided into the Gulf Coast, leaving a trail of ruin in its wake. As of September 9, the number of reported deaths related to the storm had risen to 82 in Louisiana alone, all while the state’s hospitals were overwhelmed with COVID patients. Meanwhile, torrential rain flooded streets and homes along the East Coast.
The days that immediately follow hurricanes like Ida are devastating, to say the least. And while they may not grab as many headlines, so, too, are their lingering health effects. Experts say we need to brace ourselves for them, especially as climate change continues to make extreme weather events more frequent and intense.
