‘Unsurvivable’ Hurricane Ida whips up to 165mph and  threatens to breach New Orleans levees on 16th anniversary of Katrina

Hurricane Ida could overwhelm levees strengthened to protect New Orleans as it barrels down on Louisiana on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The storm – whose winds have hit 165mph, with gusts of up to 165mph – is on the verge of becoming a Category 5 hurricane, amid fears it could be one of the strongest to ever hit Louisiana. Evacuations have begun amid warnings of storm surges of up to 15 feet, with Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng saying of the predicted inundation: 'I want to reiterate, the storm surge that we are expecting is unsurvivable.'

'Unsurvivable' Hurricane Ida whips up to 165mph and  threatens to breach New Orleans levees on 16th anniversary of Katrina