Ponchatoula is assessing Ida’s aftermath and prepping for recovery after being near the eastern eyewall when Hurricane Ida passed through.
The city experienced major wind damage to many of its shops and major businesses downtown.
On the eastern side of the city, residents found their homes under the threat of floodwaters.
Mayor Bob Zabbia shared photos of the damage at City Hall and outlined Ponchatoula’s steps forward in a social media post. Zabbia shared that the ceiling in his office fell through onto his desk after the building received roof damage. City Hall had considerable water damage that took down their communication system.
Police Chief Bry Layrisson said that his department received water inside of the building and their generator failed. Despite the damage, Layrisson said his officers never stopped working around the clock.
