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Operation Blessing Delivers Meals and Supplies as Thousands Still Without Power After Hurricane Ida

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WASHINGTON – After touring Louisiana last week, President Biden is traveling to hard-hit New York and New Jersey Tuesday to see the damage caused by Hurricane Ida. 

More than half a million people are still without power as the death toll climbs to at least 69 people in eight states. 

In both New York and New Jersey, Biden has approved disaster declarations. 

"The major disaster declaration means individuals are now eligible for money in those counties," said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy as he toured some of the damage in his state over the weekend. 

In Louisiana, the National Guard is using floating bridges to reach cut-off areas. 

The City of New Orleans has evacuated several long-term senior nursing facilities after residents were found living in the dark and sweltering heat. Some were even trapped on upper floors. 

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell is promising accountability after five residents died in privately run facilities. 

"What we found was unacceptable and accountability will be across the board," said Cantrell in a news conference. 

Help Operation Blessing Send Emergency Relief to Disaster Victims

So far, power has been restored to two-thirds of New Orleans but other parts of the state could be in the dark for several more weeks. 

CBN's Operation Blessing is on the ground in Houma, Louisiana helping with clean up and delivering much-needed supplies and meals. 

"Our volunteers have gone out to the field to clean up debris, muck and gut houses, put tarps on roofs and even today we were able to go to the Houma, Louisiana Police Department and deliver 150 meals to a very hungry police department," explained Blake Mueller with Operation Blessing. 

Given the pandemic, reconstruction efforts are expected to take more time and cost more due to material delays. 

Back in Washington, lawmakers from both parties are pointing to Ida's devastation as reason for updating the country's infrastructure. 

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About The Author

Jenna
Browder

Jenna Browder co-hosts Faith Nation and is a network correspondent for CBN News. She has interviewed many prominent national figures from both sides of the political aisle, including presidents, cabinet secretaries, lawmakers, and other high-ranking officials. Jenna grew up in the small mountain town of Gunnison, Colorado and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she studied journalism. Her first TV jobs were at CBS affiliates in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Monroe, Louisiana where she anchored the nightly news. She came to Washington, D.C. in 2016. Getting to cover that year's