SEOUL– No South Korean casualties have been reported after Hurricane Ida battered southern U.S. coastal states, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The powerful hurricane hit Louisiana and Mississippi on Sunday, causing massive flooding in some areas and leaving more than a million homes and businesses without power. It has claimed at least two deaths so far, as many residents evacuated in advance to stay away from the hurricane.
“According to our consulate general in Houston, there have been no reports of casualties involving our people, although it is still very hard to grasp the situation there,” a ministry official said.
“We have set up emergency contacts with the Korean community and local disaster prevention authorities, and are working together to ensure our people’s safety,” the official said.
About 500 South Koreans are estimated to live in New Orleans, according to the ministry.
Source: Yonhap News Agency