MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Horrifying video shows Port Fourchon dock swaying violently as Hurricane Ida hits

While some couldn't believe the terrifying nature of the storm, others were left severely impressed by the camera quality

Hurricane Ida made landfall along the shore of Louisiana at 11.55 am on Sunday, August 29, as a Category 4 storm. But despite its devastating winds and battering rainfall ultimately calming somewhat, Port Fourchon — where the storm made its first landfall — is still suffering the aftermath. In a recent video shared by local Jeremy DiBenedetto, the immediate effects of the storm can be seen rattling against a dock, paralleled stunningly with before and after footages, that has left both the sharer and viewers on social media concerned about whether the building still stands.

DiBenedetto's video follows terrifying footage of Ida wreaking havoc in the form of floods all over Grand Isle, that showed staircases and fences submerged in water as rain and heavy gusts of winds blasted the streets making it near impossible to see anything. Winds from the storm were also able to reverse the course of the Mississippi River in New Orleans, with locals reporting they could barely stand as the storm poured in. The most terrifying footage captured was perhaps that of a Galliano, Louisiana hospital's roof partially getting blown off by the severe winds with patients still inside the facility. DiBenedetto's video is another such documentation of the storm before it finally slowed down.

RELATED ARTICLES

Hurricane Ida: Al Roker drenched while reporting, viewers slam MSNBC

Terrifying videos show trees falling on homes, roofs blown off during Hurricane Ida

Shared as a Facebook post, DiBenedetto's footage was reportedly captured on an Arlo cellular camera, with the caption: "All I can say is WOW!!! The two things in life you NEVER underestimate, God & Mother Nature!! I’m not sure if anyone has ever gotten footage like this ever before, but the power of this storm is totally UNBELIEVABLE!!" The video shows shots of a dock being battered by heavy gusts accompanied by severe rain as the surrounding water practically smashed against the wooden structuring leaving it significantly swaying. 

In a previously shared video, the same dock can be seen with the surrounding water calm and serene — as one would expect it on any regular day. Speaking about the turbulence the dock suffered, DiBenedetto had initially posted: "We’re not sure if she’s still standing but the dock is still there. What really sucks is we just got done remodeling and lifting it about 30 days ago from all the damage we got last year from Hurricane Zeta. Luckily, I’m in partnership with two people who are awesome at their trades David Tallo Jr. with Tallo Construction & Danielle Todd Harper with Harper Metal Buildings."

He further added: "I wasn’t able to help much with the renovations but they took the bull by the horns and spent several weeks raising and rebuilding it to practically new. Unfortunately the first time I had seen it since the renovations was Thursday, when we went to get some stuff out and put everything high as we could in the camp. Everything happens for a reason they say, so God had different plans for us.”

DiBenedetto then followed it up with an update about a 'Blue Barnacle' that social media had grown quite concerned about after witnessing the storm unleashing its havoc. "Well for everyone asking about 'The Blue Barnacle', we’re pretty sure that she’s gone," DiBenedetto wrote in the update, adding "We have a friend flying over it tomorrow to give us a confirmation of what’s left. BUT two things for sure made it thru that UNBELIEVABLE storm."

When the video of the hurricane-battered dock made it to Twitter, social media expressed ample concern too, with one user tweeting: "So ive never been in a hurricane but ive lived through a F3 tornado and this footage is just horrifying snd seems wayyyy worse." Another simply declared: "That is why you leave. Most structures can’t stand up to the force. That’s also why places in areas that commonly get hurricanes need better regulations for buildings." One more chimed in, saying: "How could this even be recorded? Jeeeezes….that’s some scary storm!"

Others exclaimed: "Did not realize how powerful hurricane are until now" Some even quipped about the brilliant camera quality in the video, with one user noting: "That is one badass camera." Others drew in comparison with Grand Isle floods, as one user shared: "I believe WDSU in NO said Grand Isle is now completely underwater… calls for rescue / medical emergencies from other parishes. Unfortunately there’s no way to get to them right now".