As Louisiana comes to terms with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ida, disturbing stories are emerging of the desperate conditions now faced by people on the ground.
None of those stories are more shocking than the case of a man who is believed to have been attacked in his own shed by an alligator. The reptilian predator is said to have bitten off the 71-year-old victim’s arm.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office said the body of the Slidell man has not been found. He was reportedly in the shed outside his home in the New Orleans suburb of Slidell, which had several feet of water, WWL-TV reported.
His wife heard some noise and saw an alligator attacking him.
She pulled him onto the stairs and went to get help. When she came back, he was gone. Neighbors told WWL-TV that large alligators are common in the area. Some often feed them, they said.
St. Tammany Fire Protection District 1 Chief Jason Gaubert said the alligator was likely near the home because of floodwaters in the area, WDSU-TV reported.
Ida battered the Louisiana coast over the weekend, causing massive power outages and at least two confirmed deaths, a motorist who drowned and someone struck by a falling tree.
By Monday evening, the storm weakened to a tropical depression. Authorities urged residents to stay home unless they were picking up debris or evacuating.