As Hurricane Ida makes landfall in Louisiana, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox has activated Level I Incident Command to prepare for any damages that the storm brings to West Alabama.

The mayor expects a possible bevy of evacuees to make their way inland, as the storm is set to overtake much of the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coasts. Ida made landfall in Port Fourchon, Louisiana as a Category 4 Hurricane just before noon Sunday, and the storm is quickly overtaking the state with significant flooding and wind speeds up to 150 miles per hour.

According to The Weather Channel, this storm is in a three-way tie for strongest landfall on record in Louisiana. Hurricane Laura, which hit just one year ago, moved into southwest Louisiana at 150 mph, and an unnamed hurricane in 1856 arrived with the same intensity.

Tuscaloosa Fire Chief Randy Smith will be the IC Commander.

"The City may be requested to provide assistance to storm damage areas," Maddox said in a message to the city's senior leadership team Sunday. "We also have to continue to be vigilant of the rising cases of COVID-19 and stay in coordination with DCH."

For more information on Hurricane Ida and its impacts on West Alabama, stay connected to The Tuscaloosa Thread.

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