Mississippi River flow briefly reversed by Hurricane Ida

The Mississippi River’s flow briefly reversed on Sunday afternoon due to the strength of Hurricane Ida.

As USA Today reported, a U.S. Geological Survey gauge in Belle Chasse, La., which is directly south of New Orleans on the west bank of the river, detected that the Mississippi had reversed flow.

Ricky Boyette, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, confirmed the reversal to USA Today on Sunday.

The gauge also reportedly detected that the Mississippi rose to 16 feet, nearly double its normal depth.

The reversal lasted for a couple hours, according to USA Today. The river previously reversed course during both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Isaac, as well as after an 1812 earthquake in Missouri.

Ida made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane. All the power in New Orleans was taken out by Sunday evening, and one person has been confirmed dead so far, though Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said on Monday that the death toll is expected to rise “considerably.”

As of Monday afternoon, much of the Louisiana’s southeastern corner is still without power, according to Entergy New Orleans.

Ida has been downgraded to a tropical storm and is moving on a northeastern path, according to the National Hurricane Center.