Alligator Attack: Lousiana Man Killed by Alligator While Wading Through Hurricane Ida Floodwaters

A 71-year-old man in Louisiana died in an alligator attack after the animal bit off his arm as he waded through the floodwaters brought by Hurricane Ida on Monday.

The victim's body has not yet been found. Daily Mail reported that the alligator attack occurred in St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana.

The man's wife called authorities and said that an alligator had attacked her husband. The man was staying in his shed, which was flooded with several feet of water, when the alligator attacked him.

The wife said she pulled her husband from the water and left him by the stairs to call for help. However, the man's body was never recovered. His body was gone when his wife came back.

Earlier in the day, the president of Jefferson Parish issued a warning about alligators lurking in Hurricane Ida's floodwaters. Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng said it seemed that the worst-case scenario has already happened.

Two storm-related deaths have been confirmed due to Hurricane Ida, with officials saying that one man drowned after his vehicle appeared to have attempted to go through floodwater, according to a WDSU report.

The sheriff's office in Ascension Parish reported that the other person also died after a tree fell on a home in Prairieville.

Hurricane Ida

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards on Monday said the state focuses on search and rescue operations, ensuring that all the hardest-hit areas have been checked several times.

Edwards noted that saving lives is the number one priority. He added that search and rescue efforts would continue as long as necessary.

More than 5,000 National Guard members are working on the disaster response. Edwards said that Louisiana would be conducting a grid search of the hardest-hit areas, and to make sure that they do not miss anything, they will go back and do a secondary search.

Extending Help to Louisiana

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Monday that he would deploy emergency resources to Louisiana, Texas Tribune reported.

The state will send the hurricane-beaten Louisiana Chinook helicopter to help with the disaster efforts. Texas will also be sending 14 crew members, 30 fire engines with 132 firefighters.

Abbott said Texas would never forget the kindness, generosity, and support offered by the people of Louisiana when Texas faced Hurricane Harvey four years ago.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Louisiana and ordered federal aid for the state, tribal and local recovery efforts. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, KSLA reported. The assistance can also cover uninsured property losses. Individuals and business owners can also use it to recover from the effects of Hurricane Ida.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures nationwide. The state government has also asked for Individual Assistance and Critical Needs Assistance, particularly in areas severely affected by the storm.

The Louisiana governor also requested Public Assistance Category A, Debris Removal, and Categories C through G for infrastructure damage in the state.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Louisiana Prepares for Hurricane Ida - From ABC News